Tiger Woods Gets Big News About Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Him
Tiger Woods has been removed from the wrongful death lawsuit that was filed against him by the family of a man who died in a car accident after drinking at his Florida restaurant.
The parents of Nicholas Immesberger, a bartender at The Woods Jupiter, filed a lawsuit in May against the restaurant; Woods; and the golfer’s girlfriend, Erica Herman, who is the general manager there.
On Dec. 10, 2018, Immesberger was drinking at The Woods and became “severely intoxicated,” according to a news release by attorneys Craig Goldenfarb and Spencer Kuvin, who are representing the Immesberger family.
After Immesberger left, he got into a fatal car accident. His blood alcohol level was 0.256 at the time of the crash, which is more than three times the legal limit in Florida.
The news release issued on May 13 said the defendants “not only were aware of his alcoholism, but that the employees, staff, and owners of the restaurant knowingly fueled his [addiction] by regularly over-serving him during and after his work shifts.”
On Monday, Woods’ attorneys told ESPN that the plaintiffs had voluntarily dismissed Woods as a defendant. However, the wrongful death suit against both The Woods and Herman is ongoing.
“The decision was clearly appropriate and reflected the fact that Mr. Woods should not have been included in the lawsuit in the first place because he had nothing to do with Mr. Immesberger’s death,” Woods’ attorney Barry Postman said in a statement to ESPN.
“While the situation was tragic, the facts will ultimately show that the cause of Mr. Immesberger’s car accident were the many decisions made by Mr. Immesberger on the night of his passing,” Postman said.
Postman told ESPN that Woods is an investor in Woods Jupiter but does not own the restaurant.
The lawsuit was filed in Palm Beach County, Florida, just before the PGA Championship at the Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
“We’re all very sad that Nick passed away. It was a terrible night, a terrible ending, and just — we feel bad for him and his entire family. It’s very sad,” Woods said at a news conference before the first round.
Earlier this month, Woods’ attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the suit, according to reports.
“Mr. Woods has no connection to the events described in the complaint. According to the Estate, Mr. Woods is an investor in the entity that owns the restaurant that served the decedent,” his lawyers wrote in the motion to dismiss, according to USA Today. “Mr. Woods, however, does not work at or own the restaurant, nor was Mr. Woods present at the restaurant on the day in question.”
Postman also cited Florida law that says, “A person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person of lawful drinking age shall not thereby become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such person, except that a person who willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age or who knowingly serves a person habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person.”
Herman also filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, according to reports. She was also not at the restaurant on the day in question.
Woods is out of the country on a vacation with his family, ESPN reported.
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