Van Rollover Accident Leads to Wrongful Death Suit

A wrongful death suit has been filed by the family of a Japanese couple that died in a rollover accident in a tour van in Utah. 

Junji and Junko Hoshino were killed while on vacation in Las Vegas in August 2010, where they were taking a four-day tour of national parks in nearby Utah.

On August 9, the tour van they were traveling in hit the median on Interstate 15 north of Cedar City, causing the van to roll over multiple times. Junko Hoshino was ejected from the vehicle and Junji was partially ejected during the fatal auto accident.

Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit

The complaint was filed by Junji’s younger brother, Makato Hoshino, and Junko’s mother, Masako Kimura, against Canyon Transportation, Canyon Transportation Charter Services LLC, Western Leisure, Inc., Nippon Travel Agency Company, Ltd., Nippon Travel Agency America, Inc. and the van’s driver, Yashushi Mikuni.

According to the lawsuit, Mikuni, 26 at the time, was working as both tour guide and driver, giving him little time to rest. The lawsuit claims Mikuni was constantly tired during the tour and consumed energy drinks and chewed caffeinated gum to stay awake. The lawsuit also notes that marijuana was detected in his system shortly after the accident and that Mikuni needed to wear glasses, but did not. Mikuni plead guilty to three charges of operating a vehicle causing injury or death in May.

The lawsuit also claims that neither Canyon Transportation nor Western Leisure actually had a license to conduct interstate transportation. The companies ran the tour van service and hired Mikuni.


0 Comments


This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

MORE TOP STORIES

A FanDuel addiction lawsuit claims a Pennsylvania man wagered massive amounts of money after being subjected to a tailored promotional campaign designed to exploit his gambling habits.
A spinal cord stimulator lawsuit from a Kentucky man claims his Boston Scientific device was defectively designed, leaving him with permanent nerve damage and wire fragments fused into his bones.
A federal judge has called for a meeting between attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants in Covidien mesh lawsuits following an $88 million verdict against the manufacturers.