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Casey Skudin, age 45, of Long Beach, was killed in Asheville, North Carolina on Friday, June 17, as he was driving along the entrance to the Biltmore Estate and a rotten tree limb fell on the family's vehicle.
Skudin was on a family vacation to celebrate his birthday and Father's Day when the 2,000-pound tree limb fell on the vehicle, the lawsuit says.
His wife, Angela, and sons Ben, age 19, and C.J., age 10, were all in the vehicle when the crash occurred.
Skudin died about an hour after the accident. His 10-year-old son was “knocked unconscious, fractured his sternum, and sustained multiple fractures to his spine,” the lawsuit said.
Angela Skudin and Ben “sustained physical and emotional injuries during the horrific accident,” the lawsuit said.
The tragedy was captured on video by Angela Skudin, who was recording as the family entered the property.
The lawsuit alleges that Biltmore “knowingly and intentionally kept a massive, rotted tree on its property next to the main road where Defendants knew it would cause great harm when it fell,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages. Attorney Kyle Findley from the law firm of Arnold & Itkin represents the Skudin family.
“The family is concerned that this isn’t the only tree at the Biltmore that poses a deadly threat to visitors, and we’re performing an independent investigation to determine the extent of the threat and to make sure a similar tragedy doesn’t befall another family," Findley said.
The Biltmore said they are reviewing the suit and preparing a response.
"We received notification of a lawsuit filed by Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers on behalf of their clients, Angela Skudin and her two children," said LeeAnn Donnelly, a spokeswoman for the hotel. "The complaint is regarding a tragic accident on our entrance road that resulted in fatal injuries to Ms. Skudin’s husband, Casey, and injuries to their son...There are no words to express our deep sorrow for the Skudin family’s unimaginable loss and we offer them our deepest sympathy."
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