Auto Accident Fatally Injures Stockton Man Near Murphys
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton, personal injury lawyer. A Stockton man was driving his 1991 Jeep Cherokee eastbound along Camp 9 Road in the vicinity of Avery Ranch Road Bridge near Murphys on the afternoon of April 22, 2018. For unknown reasons, the Jeep veered off the roadway, struck a large boulder and came to a rest after overturning onto the passenger side at approximately 12:50 pm. Medical crews were called to the scene of the car accident to render aid to the driver and his two passengers. One of the passengers, a 38-year-old Stockton resident, was transported via air ambulance to a hospital in Modesto for treatment of serious injuries. The other passenger, a 45-year-old Murphys resident, sustained moderate injuries in the collision and was airlifted to a Modesto hospital. Unfortunately, the driver was pronounced deceased at the scene due to the severity of their sustained injuries. The victim has been identified as 44-year-old Chauncey Delongpre of Stockton.
My heart goes out to the friends and family of Mr. Delongpre during this difficult time.
Single Vehicle Accidents
Sometimes, single-vehicle accidents are assumed to occur as a result of driver error. However, that’s not always the case. There could be other reasons for a single-car crash that should be investigated. Here are some other common causes of a one-car accident:
- Animals or livestock crossing the road;
- Dangerous or hazardous road designs;
- Debris in the street;
- Defective vehicle equipment, including mechanical system failure or faulty brakes;
- Hit and run motorists;
- Inadequate lighting;
- Phantom vehicle accidents;
- Potholes;
It is essential to investigate whether the cause of the accident could have been due to any of the reasons listed above. Occasionally a hit and run driver causes an accident and leaves the scene making it look like a single-car crash. Sometimes this happens where a motorist flees the scene due to lack of automobile insurance, level of alcohol or drug intoxication or driving without a license. Even when a driver escapes an accident you were involved in, you may still recover damages under your Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Protection (UM). Contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Stockton for more details.
Single Vehicle Accidents and Wrongful Death
According to a 2014 report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), approximately 1,787 fatalities were caused by single-vehicle accidents in California alone. If a traffic accident caused the death of an individual, a wrongful death claim may be brought against the person or entity responsible for that death. This type of claim may be filed by persons related to the decedent to recover the following damages:
- Funeral cost;
- Medical bills incurred before the death;
- Loss of future income, inheritance, and benefits;
- Surviving members’ pain and suffering;
- Punitive damages, if the death was caused by the reckless actions of another party.
Damages in a wrongful death lawsuit require extensive calculations and can be complicated without the assistance of a seasoned personal injury attorney in Stockton. Finding a lawyer with many years of experience handling those types of cases is essential in retrieving fair compensation for all resulting damages.
Stockton Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton, personal injury lawyer. If a single-vehicle accident has caused serious harm to you or your family members, please contact me at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 to receive free, friendly case advice.
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Our Verdicts and Settlements page includes information on my past cases and their results.
Photograph Credit: By “StockSnap” via Pixabay
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