The families of two men killed in the same boating accident in Miami that claimed the life of young Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez are suing Fernandez’s estate.
Attorney Christopher Royer is heading up the lawsuit on behalf of the families of both men, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Jesus Macias. The lawsuit is seeking $2 million each from the Fernandez estate.
“The Rivero and Macias families are deeply scarred by the loss of their sons,” Royer said in a released statement, according to The Sun Sentinel. “We remain open to a settlement and are hopeful a prompt resolution can be achieved to spare these families, and that of Jose Fernandez too, from any additional suffering.”
Although the boat in the accident was owned by Fernandez, it has been undetermined if he was driving the boat at the time of the accident. What has been reported is Fernandez had cocaine in his blood system and was said to be legally drunk at the time of the accident. The investigation into the accident hasn’t been completed yet and continues to dig up details. So who was driving the boat may still be answered. Regardless, the lawsuit is moving on expecting Fernandez is going to be named as the reported driver of the boat.
An attorney representing the Fernandez family responded in saying a settlement is “highly unlikely.” The same attorney is also suggesting Fernandez may not have known he ingested cocaine, although I’d love to hear the theory behind that. I suspect that case will have to be made as this lawsuit is probably going to move forward if the Fernandez estate does not agree to a settlement.
The loss of life is always painful, and those painful thoughts are only going to continue as this legal battle drags on, moving forward as people and families who may have had nothing to do with the boating tragedy in the first place will have to settle a score nobody should be connected to.
