Paul Walker's Daughter Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Porsche
Paul Walker's daughter, Meadow, has reached a settlement with German automaker Porsche over the death of her father in November 2013.
On Nov. 30, 2013, the Fast and Furious actor tragically died at the young age of 40 after the Porsche Carerra GT he was riding in as a passenger rammed into a tree and burst into flames after attending a charity event in Santa Clarita, California. The actor was filming Furious 7 at the time of his death, and his brothers Caleb and Cody replaced him as stand-ins to complete Walker's scenes.
The car crash also claimed the life of Walker's friend, Roger Rodas, who was behind the wheel at the time of the accident. A subsequent investigation revealed that the car was traveling at speeds between 80 and 93 mph in a 45 mpg-designated zone. No drugs or alcohol was found in their system.
Nearly two years after her father's demise, Meadow filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the car manufacturer claiming that Walker's untimely death could have been prevented if the car was equipped with proper safety features.
The suit also alleged that Porsche was aware that the specific car Walker crashed in "had a history of instability and control issues," and Porsche "failed to install its electronic stability control system, which is specifically designed to protect against the swerving actions inherent in hyper-sensitive vehicles of this type."
The automaker was also accused of installing a faulty seat belt that prohibited Walker from escaping the vehicle before it erupted in flames, because of which he was burned alive.
In response, Porsche stated that the company had installed state-of-the-art parts and safety features in the 2005 Carrera GT at the time of the car's manufacture and sale, but the vehicle's abuse, alteration and misuse are what ultimately led to, or contributed to Walker's death.
On Oct. 16, Meadow and Porsche finally settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed fee, according to court documents obtained by E! News. The terms of the settlement are not yet known, but the documents clearly state that both parties have reached an agreement to settle and have called for a dismissal of the suit. Walker's father, Paul Walker III, who filed a separate lawsuit against the automaker, also reached a settlement with the German company.
Meadow, who is the daughter of Walker's ex, Rebecca Soteros, won $10.1 million after reaching a settlement with Rodas' estate in April 2016, which was to be paid into her trust. Moreover, Walker left behind his entire estate, which is worth nearly $25 million, to his daughter, according to his will.
