SACRAMENTO, CA – CBS13 reports that on the night of Wednesday, January 24, 2024, a pedestrian walking along Garden Highway in Sacramento was struck and killed by a vehicle.
Sacramento police received reports of the collision in the 1400 block of Garden Highway just after 7 PM. Despite immediate first aid efforts by officers and subsequent intervention by Sacramento Fire Department medics, the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle cooperated with authorities and remained at the location. The investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances leading to the incident, with law enforcement stating that DUI is not believed to be a factor.
Authorities have withheld the identity of the deceased pedestrian pending further investigation by the Sacramento Police Department.
Duty of Care and Wrongful Death Claims
Both pedestrians and cyclists are owed a special “duty of care” from drivers because of their greater vulnerability and the higher likelihood of a fatal outcome if they are involved in a vehicular collision.
Liability in such a death can depend upon multiple factors, but should the driver be determined to be at fault in a fatal collision, the family of the deceased may be able to file a wrongful death claim with the driver’s insurance provider.
The compensation provided by a wrongful death claim can help relieve the burdens created by medical expenses, burial costs, and the loss of financial support for any dependents of the deceased.
Insurance companies will work to minimize any claim they cannot deny, however, which is why the help of a skilled personal injury attorney is so valuable in seeking justice for victims and their families.