Child Killed After Truck Accident in Fresno County
An 11-year-old child from Delhi was killed after a truck accident involving multiple vehicles in Fresno County on the afternoon of May 10, 2020. The big rig crash occurred around 1:20 p.m. on northbound Highway 99, just south of Mountain View Avenue between Kingsburg and Selma, CA. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that a tractor-trailer hauling fruit was allegedly unable to stop in time when approaching slowed traffic, collided with five cars, and burst into flames. Two of the vehicles the big rig struck also engulfed in flames. Sadly, an 11-year-old Delhi girl and student of El Capitan Elementary School passed away in the 18-wheeler crash. The driver of the big rig, a 60-year-old man from Dinuba, CA, may face charges for gross vehicular manslaughter in connection to the multi-vehicle accident, the CHP recently reported.
Nature of Injuries Reported in Selma Fiery Truck Accident
A total of fifteen people were involved, 10 of which were hospitalized at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, CA, for treatment of moderate to severe injuries. The CHP has recently identified those injured in the truck accident. This included a 29-year-old Fresno man who was driving a 1990 Toyota pickup truck. His passengers, a 2-year-old; a 4-year-old; and a 54-year-old, all of Fresno, were treated at the scene.
A 17-year-old Delhi boy was driving a 2004 Lincoln Navigator SUV with five passengers, all of whom were returning from a Mother’s Day weekend trip to Los Angeles. Three of the five passengers: a 5-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy, and a 38-year-old man, all suffered serious injuries in the Selma truck crash. The Lincoln driver and his fourth passenger, a 32-year-old woman, suffered injuries described as moderate. The fifth passenger was the 11-year-old girl who sadly lost her life in the multi-vehicle crash. All the passengers were identified as residents of Delhi, CA.
A 47-year-old woman of Point, Texas, was driving a 2020 Infiniti QX60 SUV with one passenger. She sustained catastrophic injuries and her passenger, a 57-year-old woman also of Point, TX, suffered moderate injuries. A 61-year-old Kingsburg man who was behind the wheel of a 2017 GMC van sustained minor injuries. A 44-year-old Corcoran man who was driving a Ford pickup truck was uninjured in the fiery big rig crash near Selma.
Loss of a Loved One
The loss of a loved one is devastating at any time. But the death of a child can turn a parent’s world upside down when the loss was caused as a result of someone else’s negligence or carelessness in a truck accident. Moving forward from such tragedies is often overwhelming, especially when dealing with unexpected expenses and insurance companies calling your family to extend a low ball settlement offer. Fortunately, you and your family do not have to cope with the loss of a loved one alone. At AutoAccident.com, our Fresno wrongful death lawyers can help your family throughout the steps of a wrongful death case to ensure you all focus on what matters most, your grieving and recovery process.
Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in California
When a loved one is lost in a big rig crash caused by an act of negligence, like excessive speeding or driving under the influence, surviving family members may have the grounds for a wrongful death claim. This type of case is intended to compensate survivors for the financial and intangible losses they have suffered. Recovery may include funeral expenses, costs for end-of-life medical treatment, lost future financial support, loss of a loved one’s care, protection, and support, and more. Such claims follow a two-year statute of limitations, meaning survivors have two years from the date of their loved one’s wrongful death to file a lawsuit in California. While this may seem like a long time, there is a lot that must be done to build a strong case wrongful death. To learn more, watch the video below.
Proving Liability in a Fresno County Truck Accident Case
Truck accident cases involving a loss of life is among the most challenging an experienced Fresno wrongful death lawyer can handle. Insurance companies representing negligent truckers and trucking companies often enlist attorneys to defend their best interests. This may be done through disputing liability for the 18-wheeler crash and shift fault to the decedent. Under California’s comparative fault laws, this may affect the amount of compensation awarded to the decedent’s family. To build a strong wrongful death truck accident case that prevents this from occurring, an experienced attorney gathers and organizes the appropriate evidence and documentation to ensure that liability (fault) can be established on the part of the negligent trucker and trucking firm. This includes police reports, witness testimonies, the black box of the big rig, the truck driver’s logbook to show how many hours they were behind the wheel and the distance they traveled, and video surveillance of the accident from cameras mounted on nearby buildings or at intersections. An attorney will also get to know the decedent’s family and compile compelling evidence to prove the impact of their loss to help a judge or jury understand the severity of the accident due to the at-fault party’s negligence.
Truck Accident Lawyers in Fresno
I’m Ed Smith, a Fresno truck accident lawyer. If you have lost a loved one in Fresno County through the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company, you and your family may be entitled to financial compensation for your loss. While no amount of money from a wrongful death claim can ever fill the void left behind by a loved one’s unexpected passing, these cases can help a family obtain justice and secure their future. However, such claims are often challenging, as the law is complex, and liability can be difficult to prove. For this reason, you and your family may benefit from the assistance of an experienced attorney. At our Fresno personal injury law firm, we can help you and your family through this difficult time. Please feel free to call anytime at (559) 377-7676 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 to receive my compassionate, free, and friendly advice.
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Since 1982, our Fresno personal injury lawyers have represented many families who have lost loved ones in all types of motor vehicle collisions, including truck accidents. To see how we have assisted families affected by such situations through the wrongful death claims process, go to our Verdicts and Settlements page.
Image Source: By “dominic_winkel” via Pixabay
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