[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/family-that-opened-their-home-to-nikolas-cruz-now-facing-wrongful-death-lawsuits\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/family-that-opened-their-home-to-nikolas-cruz-now-facing-wrongful-death-lawsuits\/","headline":"Family That Opened Their Home to Nikolas Cruz Now Facing Wrongful Death Lawsuits","name":"Family That Opened Their Home to Nikolas Cruz Now Facing Wrongful Death Lawsuits","description":"When James and Kimberly Snead opened up their home to orphaned Nikolas Cruz, they never imagined the horror that would follow just 2 \u00bd months later. On February 14, 2018, the 19-year-old stormed into the\u00a0Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School\u00a0and violently murdered 17 people and injured 17 more. Now, the Sneed\u2019s are facing multiple wrongful death...","datePublished":"2018-06-25","dateModified":"2025-01-06","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/author\/zimmet\/#Person","name":"Zimmet & Zimmet","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/author\/zimmet\/","identifier":8,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3010bdac5ced5112b2840e84f5233c0b7d763a33cb3d5b6de07a5a4b44884d69?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3010bdac5ced5112b2840e84f5233c0b7d763a33cb3d5b6de07a5a4b44884d69?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Zimmet & Zimmet","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/footer-logo-blue.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/footer-logo-blue.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Family-That-Opened-Their-Home-to-Nikolas-Cruz-Now-Facing-Wrongful-Death-Lawsuits-scaled-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Family-That-Opened-Their-Home-to-Nikolas-Cruz-Now-Facing-Wrongful-Death-Lawsuits-scaled-1.jpg","height":1700,"width":2560},"url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/family-that-opened-their-home-to-nikolas-cruz-now-facing-wrongful-death-lawsuits\/","about":["Personal Injury","Wrongful Death"],"wordCount":583,"keywords":["Florida Wrongful Death Attorneys","Wrongful Death Claims"],"articleBody":"When James and Kimberly Snead opened up their home to orphaned Nikolas Cruz, they never imagined the horror that would follow just 2 \u00bd months later. On February 14, 2018, the 19-year-old stormed into the\u00a0Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School\u00a0and violently murdered 17 people and injured 17 more. Now, the Sneed\u2019s are facing multiple wrongful death claims, and they anticipate that more will be coming in the future.Many have applauded the Sneads\u2019 decision to let the young Cruz into their home. Others have condemned them for being willfully blind to the dangers of allowing a mentally unstable young man to own and store an AR-15 in their home. As a result, several of his victims have filed lawsuits with allegations that the Sneads should have known that Cruz was mentally ill and posed a threat to others.One of these lawsuits is a wrongful death claim filed by the estate of 18-year-old Meadow Pollack.Are the Snead\u2019s Liable for Cruz\u2019s Actions?The Snead\u2019s have been quick to defend themselves and their actions. When Cruz moved his gun collection into their home, they insisted that he buy a locking gun cabinet and that they remained in possession of the only key. They claim that they were unaware of his disturbing social media posts and never saw any warning signs that Cruz would turn violent.The Sneads, like many American families, live paycheck to paycheck and are afraid that the cost of litigation will drive them into bankruptcy. To help with their sudden legal fees, they have set up a GoFundMe page. They have even considered moving out of Parkland to rebuild their lives after this tragic incident.Proving a Wrongful Death Claim Is DifficultTo win a\u00a0wrongful death claim\u00a0in Florida, you must prove three elements:Duty of Care\u00a0\u2013 You must prove that the defendant owed a duty of care to the deceased personBreach of Care\u00a0\u2013 You must establish that the defendant breached this duty of careCausation of Death\u00a0\u2013 You must prove that the breach of care was the cause of the wrongful deathTo prove each of these elements in a wrongful death claim, you must meet the \u201cburden of proof\u201d with an extensive amount of evidence. It\u2019s important to note, however, that this burden of proof is lower than the burden of proof in criminal cases, where the standard is proof \u201cbeyond a reasonable doubt.\u201dIn the state of Florida, survivors only have 2 years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This is known as the statute of limitations. If you miss the deadline, you\u2019ll forfeit the opportunity to file a claim. There are certain circumstances when you may be eligible for an extension of this deadline, which is why it\u2019s important to speak to an\u00a0experienced wrongful death attorney\u00a0as soon as possible for a complete review your case.Call Our Compassionate Florida Wrongful Death AttorneysIf you have lost a loved one because of another person\u2019s negligence or misconduct in Volusia or Flager counties, the\u00a0Florida wrongful death attorneys at Zimmet & Zimmet\u00a0are here to help. Our lawyers offer compassionate legal counsel every step of the way.\u00a0Contact us today at (386) 255-6400 for a free initial consultation and review of your case.Have you been injured in an accident or fall? Do You have question and want to know your legal options. Call 386-255-6400\u00a0for a free consultation and remember there is NO FEE unless WE Win."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Family That Opened Their Home to Nikolas Cruz Now Facing Wrongful Death Lawsuits","item":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/family-that-opened-their-home-to-nikolas-cruz-now-facing-wrongful-death-lawsuits\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]