Court Rules Woman Unable to Sue After Seeing Husband Crushed to Death at Branford Business

HARTFORD, CT – The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that a woman cannot sue her deceased husband’s employer for emotional distress, Fox 61 reported.

Jenny Velecela found her husband, Austin Irwin, 77, crushed to death under an all-terrain vehicle in July 2011 when she came to bring him lunch, according to Fox 61. He was repairing the ATV at All Habitat Services in Branford at the time.

It was ruled in court that Velecela is barred from suing her husband’s employer by Connecticut’s workers compensation law, according to Fox 61. She had sought to sue for negligent infliction of bystander emotional distress.

Read the full story at Fox 61.