Venus Williams Reaches Settlement In Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Fatal Car Crash
Venus Williams has reached a settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against her last year.
The tennis superstar came to a monetary agreement with the estate of Jerome Barson, the man who died in a car accident involving Williams, in June 2017, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
According to court documents obtained by ET, which were filed in Palm Beach County on Thursday, the civil case between the two parties was dismissed with prejudice, and each party is responsible for their own attorney's fees and court costs.
While the documents indicated that a settlement had been reached, the terms of the agreement, including any monetary sum, were not disclosed.
Williams was involved in a collision on June 9, 2017, that sent the 78-year-old Barson to the hospital, where he died 14 days later. His wife, Linda Barson, claimed to have suffered broken bones and other injuries.
It was determined in December that Williams would not face any criminal charges stemming from the fatal collision.
Williams denied that she was responsible for the crash in a court document filed in July 2017, alleging that the injuries sustained by the Barsons were a result of their "negligence and/or assumed risk" which contributed to the severity of their injuries and that their vehicle was not maintained to legal standards.
The document also claims that the fatal injuries suffered in the crash were "caused by the unreasonable failure of [Barson] to use an available and operational seatbelt at the time of the accident."
Williams broke her silence on the crash days after Barson's death, writing in a statement on Facebook, "I am devastated and heartbroken by this accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers."
Watch the video below for more on the tragic incident.
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