In the Boston suburb of Plainville, Massachusetts, a mother recently filed a lawsuit following the death of her teenage daughter. There are serious risks associated with underage drinking. The Law Office of Neil Burns is dedicated to keeping our children safe, and in zealously representing families whose child suffers injury or death.
The deceased teen, Taylor Meyer, was a senior at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts, when she drowned in a local swamp. It was later discovered she had attended at least three parties the night of Oct. 17, 2008, resulting in her severe intoxication. Taylor Meyer's mother is suing 2 adults and 5 young people for the wrongful death of her child, claiming they provided her with alcohol.
One man, 21-year-old Sean Flynn, was charged with providing alcohol to a minor after the death of Meyer. Flynn is listed in the wrongful death suit. Listed along with Flynn are 20-year-old Brian Zuzick and Paige Zuzick. Zuzick was charged with providing alcohol to both Meyer and his younger sister, Paige, the evening of the accident. Matthew Dusseault, Christopher Moran, Rachel Stark and Stark's mother, Dianne are also named.
Dusseault was not charged in connection with the incident, but he allegedly provided a 30-pack of beer to an underage drinking party at Norfolk airport. Moran allegedly also brought alcohol to the party from his family's home. Both are underage.
According to SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving), recent rates of teen drinking have declined. Notwithstanding, in the week's following Taylor Meyers death, several more underage drinking parties were located and broken up in the area. All told, about 20 teens were cited and taken to court in the matter of a few weeks. Meyer's mother said this was evidence the issue needed to be taken more seriously, and that is the main point of the wrongful death suit.
The lawsuit, according to the plaintiffs, is mostly about liability and not compensation. Meyer's mother has been an outspoken critic of the problems of underage drinking since the incident. She believes the case can bring awareness to the issue and hold teens accountable for the safety of their friends and colleagues. The lawsuit does not prevent the jury from issuing reparations for damages, however. Preventing injuries to children, keeping children safe, and zealously protecting children after injury has long been a focus and practice area at the Law Office Neil Burns.
