Wrongful Death Lawsuit Leads to $8M Award

A wrongful death lawsuit led to an $8 million award for the families of two victims of the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings.

According to Reuters, on April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho gunned down 32 people before killing himself on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The incident was reportedly the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed by the relatives of the slain Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde, claimed that Virginia Tech officials were negligent in taking too long to inform the campus about the loose gunman.

The jurors ruled in favor of the families and awarded $4 million to each of them, which will be paid by the state of Virginia because the school is a state university.

If you or a loved one has been harmed in school related violence, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.