Ms Nakajjigos husband said his wifes death was the worst thing I hope I will ever see. 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.. "The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition," the claim states. 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. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. 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.. 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. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. She was subsequently named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. 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. Instead of planning their future together, Michaud is now processing the trauma and grief of Nakajjigos gruesome death and hoping the lawsuit his attorney plans to file will save other families from experiencing what he did. Esther Nakajjigo lost her life when she was decapitated at an entrance to Arches National Park in Utah back in June. 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. Opening arguments began Monday in Salt Lake City in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 25-year-old women's rights activist from Uganda who was killed by a wind-blown gate during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. 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, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Donate to the newsroom now. 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. Credit: AP FILE - Delicate. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. Here's what lawmakers have directed schools to do, Can't take statins? 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). Attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos parents asked for $140 million in damages, while the government said an appropriate award would be roughly $3.5 million. There is a lot of small things I miss.. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. IE 11 is not supported. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. Ugandan newlywed Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was visiting Arches National Park in Utah in June 2020 when she was struck and killed by a metal pole attached to a traffic control gate. Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The federal trial began Monday in Utah, where the husband and family of Nakajjigo are seeking $140 million in damages from the U.S. government, arguing in a complaint that the national park was negligent and failed to properly maintain the gate. 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 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. She was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls and received an award from the United Nations after she used her university tuition money to start a non-profit community centre that offered free healthcare to girls and women aged 10 to 24. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. 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. 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. McGinn argued that the smaller projections were based on categories of evaluation not allowed for under Utah law. 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. 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. 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. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. 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 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. 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. One of his regrets is not saying, "I love you," one more time. ", 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 head off, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. 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. What if he hadn't suggested the trip. "I'll respond as soon as I'm able," Jenkins said. The wind whipped a metal gate round which sliced through the passenger door of the car and decapitated Esther. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). 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. The ruling was. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. 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. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. 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 National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition," the claim states, as reported by CBS Denver.. $270 MILLION LAWSUIT We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Ugandas capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. 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 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. Fox13 reports the metal. According to NBC, the claim was served Oct. 22, and alleges that if park employees had properly installed the gate to not swing into oncoming traffic or placed an $8 padlock on the gate to secure it from moving in the breeze, the world would not have lost a young woman influencer destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey.. 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. 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. "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. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. It feels lonely, and thats hard. Nakajjigo was not sure where she wanted to work whether it was in the U.S., back in Uganda or elsewhere but Michaud was willing to follow her wherever she could continue to make the most impact. At age 17, Nakajjigo was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women, according to the claim. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, their attorneys said they were seeking $140 million (115m) in damages from the government accounting for Esther's earning potential. Michaud was the last plaintiff witness in the civil trial over the June 13, 2020, death of his wife, Esther Nakajjigo. 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. 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. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. 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. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigos friends, family and beloved community. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. 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. (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. I found her really interesting. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. 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. 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. 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. Michaud and his in-laws are asking a federal judge for $140 million. "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. 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 report by NBC News, following a June accident at Arches National Park near Moab. "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. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". 45 Join Insider . All this building towards the $140million in damages. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . They had wanted three children. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it, she told Fox 13. 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. Lindsay Whitehurst/AP They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. 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. Her husband, Michaud, is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda has filed a $270 million administrative claim against the National Park Service after she was killed by an . "You bear no responsibility. Michaud, Nakajjigo's husband, spoke about the intense trauma he's endured since his wife's death, including sleeplessness, nightmares and suicidal ideation. 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. 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. IE 11 is not supported. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Courtesy of. By age 25, when she died, she had accomplished more than most people do in an entire lifetime and had much more to do with her life, court documents state. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. 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. Yet park employees could have done a lot, the claim alleges, including taking note during inspections of the gate that it posed a danger and putting an inexpensive padlock on it. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 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. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. National parks begin to reopen across the country. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. . 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. 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. 72 Join Insider . The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife was killed on June 13, 2020, in Arches National Park. The closing arguments came after five days of trial that included testimony from Nakajjigo's family, friends and mentors, as well as from bystanders who witnessed the accident. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. 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. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. I know all the parks around Moab Its one of my favourite places in the US, if not my favourite place.. The. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? 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.. I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. Sign up today. She added that the plaintiffs' assumption that Nakajjigo would have taken a salary "far in excess" of most nonprofit CEOs is "simply contrary to everything the court has heard about her," Berndt said. The administrative claim is a legally required precursor to a lawsuit, which is expected to be filed in about six months. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. Nakajjigo donated her own college fund to start a hospital, Berndt said; she raised money for charities and never took a salary. He spoke, too, about the difficulty of sending his wife's body to Uganda in a cardboard box; how only her hands, one of them broken, were visible at her funeral; and how he moved to a new apartment after the accident, unable to bear the reminders of the life he'd shared with Nakajjigo. minutes. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. 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.". 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. 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. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. The gate had been left unlatched against federal policy for two weeks prior to the tragic accident in June 2020. They stipulate, however, that the plaintiffs should be awarded $22,508 for Nakajjigo's funeral expenses and $5,000 for Michaud's therapy expenses. 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 a statement to CBS News on Monday. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. The gate narrowly avoided Michaud, who was left covered head to toe in his wife's blood. FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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 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. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. They wed in a courthouse ceremony in March 2020, three months before her death, and had plans to have a big ceremony in Uganda when it was safe to travel again. 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 . Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. On June 13, she was needlessly decapitated by a metal gate that swung into the couples car as they were exiting the Arches parking lot on their way to go get ice cream, according to a wrongful death administrative claim exclusively obtained by NBC News. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." Ludovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving around Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of.
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