(Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. 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. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. 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. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. / CBS Colorado. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. The gate narrowly avoided Michaud, who was left covered head to toe in his wife's blood. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. The wind whipped a metal. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. The lawsuit filed by Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, claims his wife Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated while in the passenger seat of a car exiting Arches National Park. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. 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. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death He no longer has a TV in his apartment because the sight of any blood is triggering, he said. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act, Passengers injured as turbulence rocks plane. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. Ms McGinn described Nakajjigo as a prominent womens rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women around issues such as education and healthcare. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death The National Park Service has not commented in relation to the new lawsuit but has previously released a statement expressing sympathy for the young womans death. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Trial begins for woman decapitated at Arches National Park Esther Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Ms Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving out of the scenic parks carpark when wind caught the unlatched gate and the metal pole on top sliced through the side of their rental car and hit Ms Nakajjigo in the head and neck, killing her instantly. 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. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. There is a lot of small things I miss.. "We respect the judges decision and hope this award will help her loved ones as they continue to heal for this tragedy," added the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. Nelson, the governments attorney, has said an appropriate award would be $3.5million (2.9m). Courtesy Ludovic Michaud Nakajjigo. According to a court filing, the National Park Service and Arches National Park created a lethal and undetectable danger with the gate, which turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. $10.5 million awarded to family of Denver woman killed at Arches Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. 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 had been celebrated for using money earmarked for her college tuition to instead open a nonprofit community health center in Uganda at age 17. 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. The wind whipped a metal gate round which sliced through the passenger door of the car and decapitated Esther. Newlywed woman decapitated by car park entrance gate blown open in high A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. will shell out more than $10 million in damages to the family of Esther Nakajjigo after she was killed in an accident at a Utah national park in. 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. An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific 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. Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the. She was always willing to help, he said. Ms Chang described the part of the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo as being like a metal spear or a lance and hit the car in literally a split second. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . It's really a full-time job," he said. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] 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. Judge Bruce Jenkins said he wants to "examine with care" all the information presented during the weeklong trial. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. The lawsuit was filed about a year after Nakajjigo was killed in June 2020, when wind apparently caused the unsecured, metal gate on the parks main road to swing around and strike her and her husbands car, decapitating her. 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. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. Nakajjigo's family sued the government for the largest federal award ever asked for in both state and national history, according to plaintiffs' attorney Randi McGinn, seeking $140 million in damages. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. 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. I know all the parks around Moab Its one of my favourite places in the US, if not my favourite place.. Esther Nakajjigo was driving with her newlywed husband on their honeymoon in Arches when an open road gate was swung by strong winds into their rental car. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death According to the claim, Michaud, of Denver, and Nakajjigo, a womens rights proponent from Uganda, were exiting the Arches parking lot on June 13 when a metal gate on the entrance road near the visitors center swung into the couples car, causing Nakajigo to be needlessly decapitated.. Esther Nakajjigo lost her life when she was decapitated at an entrance to Arches National Park in Utah back in June. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M - CBS News Esther Nakajjigo's horrified husband was driving when a metal gate was whipped round in the wind and cut into the car where she was sitting and beheading her in Arches National Park in Utah, US. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. "Because (Nakajjigo) is off the charts, you can't use the charts to evaluate her," McGinn said. Disputing the family's claims the victim was on track to become the CEO of a non-profit who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Nakajigos family and Michaud are suing the U.S. government for negligence as well as negligent infliction of emotional distress on the part of Michaud, who had to witness the grisly scene. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death Esther Nakajjigo was born in poverty in Kampala, Uganda, and rose to become a celebrated human rights activist through her work focusing on preventing teen pregnancy. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death 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. Activist Esther Nakajjigo's family beg Ugandan government to return 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. Estimated read time: 5-6 Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. Family of Ugandan activist who was decapitated at UT national park gets "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 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. The ruling was. She met Ludovic Michaud in Boulder, Colorado, when she went there for a leadership accelerator program in 2019, and the two of them married in March 2020. Her husband, Michaud, is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. 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. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. 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 . Arches National Park Being Sued For $270M After Gate Decapitated Guest Nakajjigo was a women's rights champion in her home country of Uganda; she founded a nonprofit community health center using her college tuition money, and created two reality TV shows centered around empowering women. Esther Nakajjigo was beheaded after the wind whipped a metal gate round cutting into the passenger side of the car, Esther Nakajjigo with her husband Ludovic Michaud, A picture of the gates that led to the young woman's death. 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. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Post reported. I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . "On behalf of the family, we are very appreciative of the judge's attention to detail, the time he spent working on this, and for the value he put on the loss to this family of Essie," added Littlepage. Trial begins Ugandan woman's death in Arches National Park | 9news.com Michaud said he and Nakajjigo were two weeks shy of closing on a condo when the accident occurred, with hopes of owning a house down the road. None. Woman decapitated by metal gate in front of her horrified husband in Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. Human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. 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. 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. 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 gate had been left unlatched against federal policy for two weeks prior to the tragic accident in June 2020. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around,. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. (Julie Jacobson | AP file photo) A Denver man has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, against the National Park Service after a metal gate at Arches National Park collided collided with his car on June 13, killing his wife. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. 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. $270M Claim Filed Against National Park Service After Woman's Death The U.S. government has admitted responsibility for Nakajjigos death and for the emotional distress inflicted upon her husband, an attorney for the plaintiffs said. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. NBC wrote that Nakajjigo 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, Colo., where she was the recipient of a Luff Peace Fellowship., Michaud, originally of France, was uninjured in the accident, but, according to NBCs report, has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder., Donate to the newsroom now. Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off Credit: Handout. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. 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. 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. When she was 17, she donated her university tuition money to start a private, nonprofit community health center that she named the Princess Diana Health Centre. 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. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Credit: AP FILE - Delicate. 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. Activist, 25, hailed as 'future Oprah or Princess Diana' is All this building towards the $140million in damages. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! 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.". Woman's decapitation at Arches National Park leads to $270M wrongful 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 last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." I found her really interesting. According to Deborah Chang, the Los Angeles-based trial attorney representing Michaud, there was nothing he could have done to swerve out of the way of the gate that killed his wife and narrowly missed him.