We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. "I'll respond as soon as I'm able," Jenkins said. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. At age 17, she used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, which provided free reproductive health services to young women and girls. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan activist who'd moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, died June 13, 2020, while visiting the park with her husband of two The familys lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to Covid-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didnt secure the gate in place, which in effect turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking . Something went wrong, please try again later. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? McGinn argued that the smaller projections were based on categories of evaluation not allowed for under Utah law. minutes. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. She was subsequently named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. The claim alleged that had park employees used an $8 padlock to secure the gate from moving in the breeze, it could have avoided the victim being "needlessly decapitated.". The smaller projection takes into account only the averages of a statistical black woman, she said; while the higher projections factor in that Nakajjigo was a real, extraordinary person. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax On June 13, 2020, Nakajjigo, who was riding in the passenger seat as her husband drove them out of the park, was suddenly decapitated when the triangular, metal gate swung around and sliced into their rental car. "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. As recreation areas in eastern Utah reopened that summer, Michaud was excited to take his new wife to Arches National Park, and the two drove there in June. FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The women's rights activist from Uganda was 25 when, during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020, she was beheaded by a metal gate that blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of the car she was riding in. The family of a womens rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. Esther Nakajjigo was a Ugandan human rights activist and newlywed wife when the 25-year-old was killed at Arches National Park in 2020, decapitated by an unsecured gate that is now at the center of a wrongful death trial. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and safety measures in our national parks, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Michaud said in, on Monday. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. The gate had been unsecured for the previous two weeks, despite national park requirements that prohibit gates from swinging, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgment, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. They stipulate, however, that the plaintiffs should be awarded $22,508 for Nakajjigo's funeral expenses and $5,000 for Michaud's therapy expenses. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. According to the official statement from Wilson Jaga, the communications head for the office of the Ugandan Women and Girls, Nakajjigo was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park due. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement . The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a . A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history, the Associated Press reported. Picture: Handout The family of a women's rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain . A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. Nakajjigo donated her own college fund to start a hospital, Berndt said; she raised money for charities and never took a salary. Drenched in his wifes blood, Michaud instinctively jumped out of the slowly moving car after impact, then got back in to put it in park. "We want you to know, on behalf of the United States, this accident and Essie's death was the responsibility of the United States," Nelson told Michaud. The sum they are seeking has not been disclosed, however a previous claim filed by the family against the National Park Service which is the step before a lawsuit can be filed asked for more than $A351 million. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it, she told Fox 13. Nakajjigo was. McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, likened her to a nonprofit CEO for an American charity and said she would have likely made millions throughout her life. The suit was filed last. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. In pink tops and white pants, women celebrate free period products becoming available in Utahs state buildings, Proposal to boost Utah bar licenses gets smaller with another round of cuts by lawmakers, Moab, Park City cry foul as Utah lawmakers target rules for vacation homes. It feels lonely, and thats hard. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. The family of a woman beheaded by a metal gate in front of her husband at a national park has launched a lawsuit for $140million (115m). This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Berndt also said her team can take into account only Nakajjigo's education and earning history at the time of her death, exclusive from the money she raised for charitable organizations. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo . Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. She later created a pair of reality television shows designed to empower women. The trial began in December and in court, per the AP, family attorney Randi McGinn reportedly argued Nakajjigo could have eventually brought in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, annually had she survived. The trip to the wind-weathered sandstone of Arches National Park was supposed to be a celebration a chance for Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, to show his new wife one of his favorite landmarks. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . Esther Nakajjigo lost her life when she was decapitated at an entrance to Arches National Park in Utah back in June. What if he hadn't suggested the trip. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. On Monday, a federal judge ruled Ludovic Michaud, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo, will receive $9.5 million, while Nakajjigo's mother and father were awarded $700,000 and $350,000, respectively, per the Salt Lake Tribune. Just as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S., Michaud, a video streaming technology solution architect who is originally from France, and Nakajjigo decided they wanted to marry. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020 New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. The trial gave me and Essies family members an opportunity to tell Essies beautiful story, and it was so important to me to have the chance to stand up and speak for this amazing woman.. "You bear no responsibility. Nelson, the governments attorney, has said an appropriate award would be $3.5million (2.9m). Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . Her husband, Michaud, is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. At age 17, she used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, which provided free reproductive health services to young women and girls. Donate to the newsroom now. Berndt said her team in no way believes Nakajjigo was an average person, and that using reliable data to estimate her lost earnings isn't a value judgment of Nakajjigo. But when she met Michaud in June 2019 in Aurora, Colorado, through a dating app, he just saw her as a smart person who loved to laugh. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. in the two-plus years since his wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, was hit and killed by an unsecured gate while the couple was leaving Arches National Park. She rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare, and had successfully raised funds to build health care facilities in her hometown. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. But U.S. Attorney Amanda Berndt said while there's no question that the plaintiffs are entitled to a reward, a proper calculation of Nakajjigo's lost earnings must include the possibility that she might have left the workforce at some point for a variety of reasons. While much less than they were initially seeking, the family was clearly pleased with the results -- with attorney Zoe Littlepage calling the amount "the largest verdict from a federal judge in Utah history.". The gate narrowly avoided Michaud, who was left covered head to toe in his wife's blood. Ms Nakajjigo worked to improve education and rights for women and teenage girls in her home country of Uganda and advocated to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The trial gave me and Essies family members an opportunity to tell Essies beautiful story, and it was so important to me to have the chance to stand up and speak for this amazing woman.. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. The family says under federal park rules, similar gates should be secured, but the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo had been unlatched for weeks, Fox 13 reports. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The familys lawyer Deborah Chang said the gate struck the car so suddenly and was so well blended into the surrounding landscape the honeymooning couple had no chance of avoiding it. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. The claim describes Nakajjigos final moments in graphic detail and says the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter.. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. At other points, he dabbed at his eyes; he lived like a student before meeting Nakajjigo, he said, but she turned their apartment into a home. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. They had wanted three children. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didnt have a Bachelors degree. A family is getting $10 million in the wrongful death of Ugandan human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a swinging metal gate in Arches National Park, Utah. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 Judge Bruce Jenkins said he wants to "examine with care" all the information presented during the weeklong trial. He was "instantly covered with blood," the complaint says. The family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was driving around the stunning Arches National Park in Utah, US, in 2020 along with her husband Ludovic Michaud when the unthinkable happened. The large monetary damages being sought on behalf of Michaud and Nakajjigos parents are a reflection of the suffering they have gone through plus the loss of Nakajjigos future income and fundraising abilities, Chang said. The family of Ugandan philanthropist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a traffic gate in front of her husband in Arches National Park in Utah, has been awarded $10.5m. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. It's really a full-time job," he said. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, NBC News reported. Sign up today. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death in the two-plus years since his wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, was hit and killed by an unsecured gate while the couple was leaving Arches National Park. Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated at Arches National Park in Utah after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. The family are arguing that the US Park Service was negligent and did not properly maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to their loved one's death. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Credit: AP FILE - Delicate. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. / CBS Colorado. Nakajjigo received numerous international accolades and awards and had come to the United States to further her education, participating in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, where she was the recipient of a Luff Peace Fellowship. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together, he said. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. SALT LAKE CITY The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. Having received numerous international accolades and awards, Nakajjigo came to the United States to further her education, where she met Michaud a video streaming technology solution architect via a dating app. Ludovic Michaud, the husband of late human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, has filed a $270 million wrongful death administrative claim against the National Park Service, according to a. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act, Passengers injured as turbulence rocks plane. Continuing her work brings him hope; he's already started a nonprofit in her name, the Esther Nakajjigo Foundation. The ruling was. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. He smiled at some points as he shared photos and memories of happier times affectionate birthday cards, silly nicknames, meals cooked together, the rose petals Nakajjigo arranged into the shape of a heart with an "I" and a "U" on either side.
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