The Family Of A BC Mom Who Died Saving Her Children From A Runaway Van Is Suing Amazon
She pushed her eight-year-old twins out of the way.
A runaway delivery van struck and killed a mother in front of her two daughters, and now the family is suing Amazon.
The tragic incident happened in Surrey, B.C. when the mother, named Paramjit Masutta, was walking her eight-year-old twins home from school on December 15, 2020.
The family has now filed a lawsuit against Amazon, the delivery driver, and two other companies.
Masutta, who was 47 years old, died at the scene of the collision.
According to Global News, the lawsuit said that Masutta pushed her two daughters out of the way from the path of the runaway delivery van.
She was unable to get away herself though and was dragged under the van — resulting in fatal injuries.
The lawsuit also names Jeo Kurian as the driver of the van, who was "making deliveries at the time for Amazon and/or Damy Logistics and was not inside the van during the collision".
It is unclear how the vehicle started to roll, but according to Global News, the lawsuit alleged that Kurian did not use the emergency brake or put it in park.
The lawsuit also claims that he was operating the vehicle when his "ability to do so was impaired by the use of drugs, alcohol, weariness, medical causes or other causes.”
The lawsuit added that Amazon, Damy Logistics, or Foss National Leasing failed to properly equip the van with braking systems and proper devices.
The family of Masutta, which includes her husband, is seeking damages "for loss of guidance and companionship of their wife and mother, future loss of support, loss of household assistance, loss of past and future income and loss of inheritance," said Global News.
The allegations against the companies and Kurian have not been proven in court. The defendants have also yet to respond to the claims.