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. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. 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. 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. 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. Continuing her work brings him hope; he's already started a nonprofit in her name, the Esther Nakajjigo Foundation. 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. The familys lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to Covid-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didnt secure the gate in place, which in effect turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife. 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. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. I found her really interesting. Berndt said her team in no way believes Nakajjigo was an average person, and that using reliable data to estimate her lost earnings isn't a value judgment of Nakajjigo. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. Esther Nakajjigo's horrified husband was driving when a metal gate was whipped round in the wind and cut into the car where she was sitting and beheading her in Arches National Park in Utah, US. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. What if they had gone on a different day, or left at a different time? Lindsay Whitehurst/AP The family of a Ugandan young girl child activist, Esther Nakajjigo who died in the United States of America (USA) have asked government to help them repatriate her body, to be accorded a decent burial. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Courtesy Ludovic Michaud Nakajjigo. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. 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. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) 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. . "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. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax 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. "For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey," read the initial claim from Nakajjigo's husband and family. 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. None. 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. SALT LAKE CITY 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. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature. Nakajjigo had been celebrated for using money earmarked for her college tuition to instead open a nonprofit community health center in Uganda at age 17. I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. 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. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. The ruling was. The sum they are seeking has not been disclosed, however a previous claim filed by the family against the National Park Service which is the step before a lawsuit can be filed asked for more than $A351 million. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. 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. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Additionally, Berndt said the plaintiffs can only speculate on what Nakajjigo might have done had she lived, and the court can't ignore that "in favor of dreams and potential.". The gate had been left unlatched against federal policy for two weeks prior to the tragic accident in June 2020. 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. 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. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. minutes. All rights reserved. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. 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. When he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw his beheaded wife. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. 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. Because neither the U.S. nor Nakajjigos family disputed the facts of the case, the civil suit focused largely on the amount of damages merited. Nelson, the governments attorney, has said an appropriate award would be $3.5million (2.9m). At age 17, Nakajjigo. 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. At age 17, Nakajjigo was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women, according to the claim. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act, Passengers injured as turbulence rocks plane. (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. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement . Nakajjigo was. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Disputing the family's claims the victim was on track to become the CEO of a non-profit who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. The claim alleged that had park employees used an $8 padlock to secure the gate from moving in the breeze, it could have avoided the victim being "needlessly decapitated.". The smaller projection takes into account only the averages of a statistical black woman, she said; while the higher projections factor in that Nakajjigo was a real, extraordinary person. Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. 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. Esther Nakajjigo was born in poverty in Kampala, Uganda, and rose to become a celebrated human rights activist through her work focusing on preventing teen pregnancy. Human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. 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. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. He was "instantly covered with blood," the complaint says. The family says under federal park rules, similar gates should be secured, but the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo had been unlatched for weeks, Fox 13 reports. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. 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. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Instead, "the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter." The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my 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. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it, she told Fox 13. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. The French national said he and his wife, who had only been married for three months and lived in Denver, Colorado, had been on a hike and had lunch before driving out of the park. The claim describes Nakajjigos final moments in graphic detail and says the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter.. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced . Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. "You bear no responsibility. They had wanted three children. 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. She was always willing to help, he said. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The newly married Michaud and Nakajjigo took a weekend trip to Arches National Park as a welcome break after months of lockdown amid the pandemic, court documents said. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. The family had initially sought a total of $270 million in damages, before lowering the amount to $140 -- while the government only wanted to pay $3.5 million. Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! 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.. 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. According to the official statement from Wilson Jaga, the communications head for the office of the Ugandan Women and Girls, Nakajjigo was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park due. The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain . Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. 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.. 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. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than . 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. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) 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. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. 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. Monday's closing arguments focused heavily on the differences in testimony made by several economic experts, two of whom projected that Nakajjigo would have earned at least $9 million in her lifetime and the third who estimated Nakajjigo would have made between about $750,000 and $938,000. 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. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. Ms Nakajjigo met Mr Michaud after she relocated to the US, where she was awarded the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. 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. In pink tops and white pants, women celebrate free period products becoming available in Utahs state buildings, Proposal to boost Utah bar licenses gets smaller with another round of cuts by lawmakers, Moab, Park City cry foul as Utah lawmakers target rules for vacation homes. "We want you to know, on behalf of the United States, this accident and Essie's death was the responsibility of the United States," Nelson told Michaud. 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. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Sign up today. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan activist who'd moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, died June 13, 2020, while visiting the park with her husband of two "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. 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.