Montana Supreme Court Reverses Wrongful Death Case Dismissal

The Montana Supreme Court has reversed a lower court’s decision for a wrongful death case, in an opinion issued Tuesday.  The 22nd District Court in Big Horn County improperly dismissed the case in December 2015 of a man who died from injuries sustained in a crash that happened after a high speed chase, according to the state’s high court.

The District Court must now determine if the county is liable in the death of 21-year-old Kenneth R. Woody IV.  Woody died on Dec. 16, 2011, in a crash near Hardin.  He was a passenger in the pickup, driven by 23-year-old Dustin Wegner, who was later convicted of vehicular homicide.  On Sept. 11, 2014, Woody’s estate submitted a claim letter to Big Horn County commissioners, alleging that the county was responsible for the man’s death.  The estate requested $750,000 for “wrongful death and survivorship damages,” according to court documents.