Lawsuit Filed Against Coroner For Blowing Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The father of a student at the Citadel in South Carolina has sued the Beaufort County coroner for failing to perform a legally required autopsy, claiming the coroner’s failure hurts his wrongful death lawsuit against the Xpress Lane convenience store.
20-year-old Leith Paul Trask III, died in a car crash after purchasing beer at the Xpress Lane convenience store. According to The Sun News, L. Paul Trask, Jr’s lawsuit claims authorities, including Coroner Curt Copeland failed to perform an autopsy for positive identification of the body, that was burned beyond visual recognition, and to take blood samples for toxicology exams.
Copeland then took over the funeral arrangements for the boy. His body was cremated by Copeland’s funeral home. Trask claims Copeland coaxed him to sign a permission form to have the boy’s body cremated and then lied about when it was signed.