Alpine County, CA – According to The Sacramento Bee, a head-on collision between two motorcyclists on Memorial Day in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains resulted in the death of 50-year-old Marcus Canizales of Hayward and left the other driver with major injuries.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the accident occurred around 5 PM on Highway 88, near Red Lake in Alpine County. Canizales was riding his 2007 Harley Davidson V-Rod westbound when the collision happened. Witness testimony suggests that Canizales may have made an unsafe pass across double solid yellow lines. This led to a head-on collision with a 52-year-old man from Gardnerville, Nevada, who was riding a 2007 BMW motorcycle.
The force of the impact ejected both riders from their motorcycles. Tragically, Canizales succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The other motorcyclist sustained major injuries and was transported to Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe for treatment.
The incident remains under investigation as authorities work to gather more details about the circumstances leading up to the crash. The CHP has not released the name of the injured rider, pending notification of his family.
Personal Injury Claims
When the actions of reckless drivers lead to injuries for others, the cost of caring for those injuries should not fall upon their victims. Filing a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver can offer compensation to help cover medical bills and time taken off of work to recover from injuries.
However, insurance companies always have it in their interests to deny or minimize all claims they receive, which is why the help of a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can make all the difference.
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.
