Hussain to give deposition in Schoharie limo crash civil case
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- This week, it will be three years since the tragic Schoharie limo crash that killed 20 people. While the civil cases are far from over, lawsuits against Mavis Discount Tire, the Hussain family, and the State of New York continue and are now in the discovery stage of the process — seeking accountability for the damages caused to the victims of the crash and their families.
"The discovery process of a civil case involves exchanging of document demands and documents, and eventually, taking sworn deposition testimony of various individuals," said Thomas Mortati, an attorney in the civil case. "This will include Mr. Hussain — Nauman Hussain -- and eventually, representatives of Mavis, who’s one of the main defendants of this case."
In September, Nauman Hussain, the limo company operator, plead guilty to 20 counts of criminally negligent homicide and didn’t get jail time. Now that the criminal case is over, Mortati told NEWS10's Jamie DeLine that Hussain will likely give the first deposition some time in November. Depositions are sworn testimonies under oath that could eventually be used in a trial.
"The importance is that he’s not only going to tell us his involvement in it, but also the involvement of the other parties that have been sued as defendants," said Attorney Cynthia LaFave.
According to court documents, prior to the crash, Hussian brought the limo to Mavis to be inspected.
"Mavis should have known simply by operation of their eyes that this was a vehicle that was supposed to be subject to more stringent [Department of Transportation] inspection requirements," Mortati said. "That they should have never been doing these inspections, should never been certifying this vehicle or whatever language you want to use," said Mortati.
He said Mavis should be held accountable. NEWS10 reached out to Mavis’s lawyer but has not heard back. There is no dollar amount to the case. It will be addressed during trial.
"I just want the people who lost their loved ones in this crash to have their day in court, to have what happened heard, and to change the world, so this sort of thing won’t happen again," said LaFave.
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