The family of a Florida man killed in a car crash involving tennis star Venus Williams is filing a “wrongful death” lawsuit against her.

Mere days before the Wimbledon tournament, the civil complaint looms over the American grand-slam champion with claims she was “driving carelessly and recklessly” in the June 9 crash near her home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Police report Ms Williams, 37, was crossing an intersection in her Toyota Sequoia S.U.V at around 1pm when she collided with the smaller Hyundai Accent driven by Linda Barson, 68.

Her husband, 78-year-old Jerome Barson, was a passenger in the vehicle and later died from sustained injuries in hospital on June 22, according to the Palm Beach Examiner’s office.

The suit says he died of injuries including “severed main arteries, massive internal bleeding, a fractured spine and massive internal organ damage”.

Palm Beach Gardens Police Department reported Ms Williams was “at fault for violating the right of way” to the Barson’s vehicle.

The Barson family’s attorney Michael Steinger accuses the tennis champion of running a red light, failing to yield and of inattentive driving.

Mr Steinger said Mr Barson, a retired teacher in good health, had moved to south Florida from Philadelphia.

He said Linda Barson sustained several fractures to her right arm and hand in the crash and was “physically and emotionally devastated”.

Ms Williams told police she drove into the intersection on a green light, but stopped at the intersection to wait for cross-traffic to clear, then proceeded without seeing Barson’s car coming from the site.

The police report estimated Williams was travelling about eight kilometres an hour at the time of impact and was not distracted or suspected of any drug or alcohol use.

Malcolm Cunningham, attorney for Ms Williams said, “We think it’s an unfortunate accident” on Friday.

“The point is”, Mr Cunningham said on Friday, “is that Ms Williams entered into that intersection on a green light. She was there lawfully.”

Ms William’s publicist has confirmed the five-time Wimbledon champion will play at the grand slam tournament on Monday, and is set to compete against Elise Mertens of Belgium in the first round.

Williams is seeded 10^th at what will be her 20^th Wimbledon event. She won the title in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

—with AAP