Woman Killed in Central Fresno Car Accident
A woman was killed in a central Fresno car accident on the morning of August 17, 2019. The Fresno Police Department said the crash occurred in the area of 4450 East Bellmont Avenue, between Maple Avenue and Cedar Avenue, shortly before 11:10 a.m. A 34-year-old man was driving a white Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV in the area when he reportedly sideswiped a green car and struck a palate. The Chevrolet continued before striking a big rig that was being unloaded at a nearby store. Workers who were unloading the large truck used their forklift to extricate the occupants out of the mangled SUV. The driver of the Chevrolet and a two-year-old child were both transported to the hospital for treatment. Sadly, a woman who was riding as a passenger in the SUV was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Fresno County Coroner’s Office has identified the decedent as 22-year-old Mina Serrano of Fresno. Moreover, the driver of the Chevrolet has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on several felony counts, including gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence causing death.
Loved One Forever Remembered
Mina Serrano was a beloved member of her family. She is survived by her two-year-old son and other relatives who will forever remember her for her kind and loving soul. A GoFundMe page has been created by the sister of Ms. Serrano to help cover her final resting expenses.
Losing a Loved One in a Central Fresno Car Accident
It’s the phone call no family wants to receive. When you lose someone you love to a fatal crash, it may feel like your world has turned upside down. Between the shock and the grief, you may feel a rollercoaster of emotions from disbelief to anger. This is especially true when the collision was caused by the wrongdoing of another. In such situations, you need time to process your emotions instead of dealing with insurance claims adjusters who are unsympathetic about your loss. Retaining an attorney after a fatal auto accident may seem overwhelming in difficult times such as these. However, it is essential to protect your family’s legal rights, and an attorney can help do that.
Does Insurance Cover Wrongful Death for a Central Fresno Car Accident?
When a single-vehicle accident claims the life of a passenger, surviving family members may have several potential options for recourse. The first would be to file a third-party claim with the negligent driver’s insurer. Motorists may sometimes have insufficient or no insurance to cover wrongful death damages. In these cases, the family may be able to file a claim with the deceased passenger’s auto insurance policy if they have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If the decedent did not have insurance at the time of their passing but lived with someone who does, a claim may also be filed against that person’s policy. This is a viable option, so long as the deceased was not listed as an excluded member.
What Are Wrongful Death Claims?
Wrongful death claims are intended to cover the full value of the decedent’s life. These types of cases take into account the financial and intangible harms a family has suffered due to a wrongful death car accident, such as:
- Any costs of medical care incurred by a family member for a fatal auto accident (this may be recovered through a survival action)
- Expenses for a loved one’s funeral and burial services
- Loss of a loved one’s affection, companionship, protection, and moral support
- Loss of parental mentorship and guidance the deceased would have provided to surviving children
- Loss of household services that the decedent would have continued to contribute to the family had they survived
- Lost future income and benefits for surviving family members
- Mental anguish and emotional suffering caused by a loved one’s wrongful death
- Punitive damages may be claimed in cases involving extreme acts such as drunk driving. This type of damage is not generally covered by insurers. Instead, they are brought against negligent drivers for their misconduct and dedicated to discouraging similar behavior in the future.
For more details on wrongful death cases, watch the below video.
Who Can File for Wrongful Death in California?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60, spouses, domestic partners, and children are entitled to wrongful death damages. If these parties are nonexistent, other relatives who were financially dependent on the deceased may be able to bring a claim. These include living parents, stepchildren, and putative spouses. To determine whether you are eligible to file for wrongful death, reach out to an experienced Fresno wrongful death lawyer.
Wrongful Death Attorneys in Fresno
I’m Ed Smith, a Fresno wrongful death attorney. No family is ever prepared for the unexpected death of a loved one. When the loss was caused by the negligence of someone else, you deserve to have an attorney help you and your family hold that negligent party accountable for your loved one’s death. If this has happened to you and your family, give me a call anytime at (559) 377-7676 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 to receive my compassionate, free, and friendly advice.
Browse client ratings and reviews of our law office at:
I am proud to hold membership in the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and the Million Dollar Advocates. Fewer than one percent of lawyers are granted membership to the first organization. The other group is comprised of trial lawyers who have obtained $1 million or more for a past client.
Look at some of the results we have obtained on our Verdicts and Settlements page.
Image Credit: By “Kat Jayne” via Pexels
:ds llo [cs 958]