DUI Accident from 2001 Reaches Nevada Supreme Court

This week, the Nevada Supreme Court has a case on its docket that involves the death of a woman at the hands of a drunk driver. The case illustrates the financial consequences which can stem from such a tragedy.
Back in 2001, ETT Inc., a slot machine company based here in Las Vegas, was in the process of consolidating its assets and operations into a single warehouse after purchasing a competitor. As a result, ETT hired temporary workers to help with the move. One of these temporary employees was Darwin R. Ellison, who drove an ETT truck that was allocated for the consolidation.
But instead of working, Ellison and another temporary employee drove around the city for a couple of hours while drinking. Then Ellison crashed the truck into the vehicle of Rosa Delegado as she was getting into it on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. Delegado was killed and Ellison’s blood alcohol level was found to be .29 – which is over 250% of the legal limit. Ellison was convicted of DUI and went to prison, but is now out on parole.
Delegado’s husband Juan filed a wrongful death lawsuit against ETT which went to trial in 2006. He was awarded an $8.2 million judgment, and ETT was found to be 75% responsible for the DUI accident. But ETT appealed the verdict, and the Nevada Supreme Court will hear that appeal this week. ETT claims that evidence was excluded from the civil trial and that Delegado failed to prove his claims.
It remains to be seen whether the judgment will stand. But this incident does show what can happen to a company financially if one of its employees (even temporary ones) causes a fatal DUI accident. If you or a loved one has been killed or injured by a drunk driver who was drinking on the job, contact a drunk driving attorney. He or she can help determine whether the company should be held responsible for the drunk driver’s actions.
o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.