Sometimes things are not as they seem when we are first asked to get involved in a case.  In the tragic case of 18 year old Rachael Campbell the facts initially showed that Rachael had made a left turn across Route 4 in Calvert County, MD when she was hit broadside by a police cruiser responding to an emergency call on a domestic violence matter.  Most firms would look no further and turn down this case.  The brutal force of the impact which caused Rachael’s car to explode trapping and killing her in the blaze, the unusual topography of a huge hill blocking visibility just before the intersection and eyewitness reports of extremely high speed by the officer right before the crash compelled our firm to independently investigate this case and get the whole truth of the events to set the record straight and relieve Rachael’s grieving family of the notion that she was in any way responsible for the crash as the police were initially reporting.  We jumped in.
            The facts, confirmed by among other things the "black box" data in the police vehicle, showed that the Deputy Sheriff was travelling at 110 mph and increasing speed up the hill just prior to the intersection (at speeds above 80 mph a cruiser is actually “outrunning” its siren such that drivers in front like Rachael cannot hear it), and that before the cruiser crested the hill Rachael began her turn having seen no traffic coming toward her.  She had done nothing wrong and was killed because of the Deputy’s ridiculous speed of 110 mph in a residential and commercial area.
            On the 1 year anniversary of Rachael’s death, NBC4 Washington reviewed these facts and reported on the apology that we and the Campbell family insisted on from the Sheriff as well as and the changes to police protocol when responding to emergencies that are now in place as a result of our investigation, to keep another tragedy like this one from happening again.
            Azrael Franz is proud that as part of our efforts to provide civil justice to the families that we represent, our work goes much further than simply seeking financial relief for their anguish.  Here an apology was imperative and Sheriff Evans published an Open Letter of Apology to the entire county vindicating Rachael’s conduct, retracting his earlier statements about the crash having been her fault and taking full responsibility for the events that took her life.  In addition Azrael Franz championed changes in the way the police respond to emergencies.  Now police policy on speed is clear, officers are trained in safe response techniques and Rachael’s case is front and center in the training curriculum. 
            Already the effects are being seen in the community; the County is safer and citizens have new weapons to notify supervisors if they see improper police conduct.  These changes are gratifying and support our view that those who are responsible for their negligent conduct that harms another must be held accountable and that such conduct, whether by corporations, individual or by the government, often requires change to account for public safety.  We are pleased that our efforts for the Campbell family have brought about this change.  This goes to the heart of civil justice that we seek for our clients in all cases.
      Take a look at the NBC4 story by clicking the link  http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Family__Friends_Mark_Anniversary_of_Teen_s_Death_Washington_DC.html