Madera County, CA – According to KFSN, three more names have been added to the list of those killed in the head-on collision with eight fatalities on Friday, February 23, 2024.
The crash occurred along Avenue 7 near Road 22 when a pickup truck driven by 78-year-old Auberry man Robert Jerry Kovar crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and struck a van carrying farm workers on their way to their jobs in Firebaugh. A second van following the first, carrying family members of the laborers, was unable to keep from becoming a part of the collision as well.
Kovar died in the crash, as did seven out of the eight workers in the first van. Only one survived his injuries.
Of the seven farm laborers who died, 24-year-old Juvenal Jacobo Talavera from Michoacán, Mexico, was initially identified. Two more names have been added: 33-year-old Hector Orozco from Jalisco, Mexico, and 30-year-old Alfredo Morales Sanchez from Guerrero, Mexico. All resided in Kerman.
Wrongful Death Claims
The compensation offered by a wrongful death claim is intended to address the financial burdens that families experience after losing a loved one, including medical bills, burial costs, and the loss of income to support any dependents of the deceased.
It does not matter the legal status of the victims or their families, just that the victim died as the result of another’s recklessness or negligence. Even if there may be issues of partial liability, such as whether wearing a seatbelt may have affected the outcome of the accident, there may still be some amount of compensation available.
A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can help families sort through these issues and negotiate with insurance companies to ensure proper compensation is received.
