Sacramento County, CA – A two-vehicle crash claimed two lives of 26-year-old Antioch man John Patrick Malley and 29-year-old Rio Vista woman Jessica Lee Hay Saturday morning, May 11, 2024, on Highway 160 at Sherman Island Road, according to The Sacramento Bee.
Around 12:15 AM, a gray 2001 Nissan SUV, driven by Malley, was traveling south on Highway 160 when, for reasons yet unknown, it crossed into the northbound lane and collided with a silver 2004 Lexus SUV driven by a 33-year-old man. Malley sustained fatal injuries, while the driver of the Lexus suffered major injuries and was transported to an East Bay hospital for urgent medical care.
Hay, a passenger in the Lexus, also lost her life in the crash. Additionally, a 2-month-old girl, a 5-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy in the rear seats of the Lexus suffered major injuries. The two girls were taken by ambulance to a Bay Area hospital, while the boy was transported to a Sacramento hospital.
Authorities suspect that alcohol may have played a role in this heartbreaking incident. Investigations into the crash are ongoing as law enforcement seeks to understand the circumstances that led to this tragic loss of life and severe injuries.
Wrongful Death Claims
Establishing fault in a collision can depend on multiple factors. Helping to determine legal liability is one of the ways that a personal injury attorney can help grieving families recovering from the loss of a loved one in a traffic accident.
Suppose it is determined that another party holds some portion of responsibility for their loved one’s death. In that case, they may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. A wrongful death claim can provide compensation to help cover hospital fees, burial costs, and the loss of support for dependents of the deceased.
Passenger Liability
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 or personal injury claim against someone who knew the victim personally may prove emotionally challenging, the financial burdens following a vehicular accident can be hefty.
A good personal injury attorney can help grieving families seek proper compensation for their 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.
