Fresno, CA – According to the Fresno Bee, on the morning of Sunday, February 18, 2024, a solo-vehicle collision resulted in the death of one youth and the hospitalization of three others.
Investigations indicate that, around 4 AM, the vehicle had been speeding eastbound on McKinley Avenue from Golden State Boulevard. Near West Avenue, the vehicle apparently lost control and left the road. After crossing a set of railroad tracks, it continued to skid northeast, struck a telephone pole, and slid into the ponding basin, where it crashed into a tree and came to a stop.
When Fresno Police Officers arrived at the crash site, they found the driver and one of the passengers had been ejected from the vehicle. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while the passengers received transport to a nearby hospital for treatment of major injuries. It remains unclear whether driver impairment played a factor in the crash.
Wrongful Death Claims
The compensation provided by a wrongful death claim can help relieve grieving families of the financial burdens associated with the loss of a loved one in a vehicular fatality, addressing medical expenses, burial costs, and even the loss of income to support dependents of the deceased.
In some circumstances, investigations can reveal that some portion of the liability for a single-vehicle collision might fall upon other drivers in the vicinity of the accident or even unsafe roadway structures. Working through the particulars of liability to help those who have lost a loved one find proper compensation for their loss is one of the many services a personal injury attorney can provide.
Once liability has been established, a personal injury attorney can also negotiate on behalf of the victim with insurance companies, who will always seek to minimize the payout for any claim they cannot deny.
The liability insurance that drivers carry is not just meant to cover accidental harm caused to those outside of the vehicle. A driver is responsible for the safety of those in their vehicle as well. While making a wrongful death claim against someone who knew the victim personally may prove emotionally challenging, the financial burdens left to a grieving family by the loss of a loved one can be hefty.
A good personal injury attorney can help grieving families seek proper compensation for the loss by navigating these tricky issues, as well as negotiating on the victim’s behalf with insurance companies, who routinely work to minimize the payout of any claim they cannot deny.