South Jersey Family Sues to Get Death Certificate Changed

A tragic train accident in 2015 that was later ruled a suicide has prompted a lawsuit by the victim’s family members. Tiffany Valiante was just 18 years old when she was struck by an NJ Transit train in Galloway Township, New Jersey.

The train crash went down around 11:00 p.m. on July 12, 2015 in Galloway Township, not far from Valiante’s residence in Mays Landing, NJ. The train was headed from Philadelphia to Atlantic City and traveling on the Atlantic City Rail Line. The train accident garnered significant media coverage and could have been a real embarrassment for NJ Transit authorities. However, both NJ Transit and the NJ State Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Valiante threw herself onto the tracks and committed suicide, basically absolving the transit authority of any liability for her death.

Now Valiante’s parents have filed a lawsuit against NJ officials in the hopes of getting their daughter’s death certificate changed. At present, Valiante’s death certificate lists suicide as the cause of death; her family would like the death certificate to stipulate that the cause of death was accidental.

The Valiante family filed the civil lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court. The underlying legal claim is that the report issued by the NJ State Medical Examiner incorrectly classified Tiffany Valiante’s death as a suicide. The plaintiffs in the case specifically called into question the “investigative efforts” of NJ Transit officials in the aftermath of the fatal train accident.

Importantly, the Valiante family is not seeking financial compensation in the lawsuit; they reportedly just want the investigation into the train accident to be completed and their daughter’s death certificate to be changed.

For further information, read the NJ.com article, “Family Sues N.J. Officials to Change Suicide Ruling for Teen Hit by Train.”

If you lost a loved one in a tragic accident in New Jersey, you should speak with a qualified personal injury lawyer. The experienced NJ personal injury attorneys at Andres, Berger & Tran will help you explore your legal options. Contact us anytime for a free consultation.

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