Accident on Whitelock Parkway Claims Two Lives
A fatal crash occurred in Elk Grove on February 22 in a single-vehicle crash close to Franklin High School. The accident occurred on Whitelock Parkway near Bellaterra Drive sometime before 6:00 in the morning when a vehicle went off the road and collided with a tree, according to authorities with the Elk Grove Police Department. There were four passengers in the car at the time of the collision, and it was reported that the crash into the tree split the vehicle in half, ejecting two passengers.
Two Passengers Ejected From Vehicle in Fatal Crash
The ejected passengers, one of whom has been identified as Naomi Brown, died at the accident scene. The other two parties were transported to a local hospital with injuries. Whitelock Parkway was closed down to traffic between Bellaterra Drive and Franklin High Road, while the cause of the fatal crash was investigated. Authorities asked commuters to seek an alternative route while the investigation was conducted.
Vehicle Ejections
Ejections from a vehicle due to a crash impact often result in serious consequences. They are frequently fatal, and if the ejected individual lives, they usually suffer serious injuries. Ejections usually occur for the following reasons:
- The vehicle experienced a rollover: Ejections are common in rollover vehicle accidents. This is because a rollover tosses around the people inside. A seat belt may break or be damaged, which can then come loose. This is why it is important to retain the vehicle following a crash so investigators can see if a defect was the cause.
- The people inside the vehicle are restrained by a defective seatbelt: The risk of ejection from a vehicle in a traffic accident is increased by a defective seatbelt.
Recovery of Damages for a Defective Seat Belt
The job of a seat belt is to safely retain the individual in the vehicle, so they will not suffer major injuries. However, there are times when a seat belt can be defective and cause a fatality crash. This can be due to:
- Poor design
- The buckle unlatching during the accident
- Spooling, which is the restraining straps not tightening but loosening during a collision
- Improper installation
If a defective seat belt is the cause of an injury or fatality, the injured person or family may place a claim against the manufacturer. Negligence does not have to be proven in a product liability lawsuit.
Negligence in a Car Accident
When a driver is negligent and causes a traffic accident that results in fatalities, a family who lost a loved one may be able to file a claim with the help of an Elk Grove wrongful death lawyer. Filing a claim is one way to seek justice and a sense of closure for a needless death. It can also help alleviate the financial stress that comes with today’s high cost of funeral and burial expenses and other losses. The areas of compensation that can be claimed in a wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Wages the deceased person would have earned until their age of retirement.
- Other perks of the job, including bonuses, pension benefits, etc.
- Loss of household services such as mowing the lawn, paying bills, etc.
- Loss of consortium, companionship, and more if the deceased person was married
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of educational support and guidance if there are children in the home
Elk Grove Personal Injury Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith, and I am an Elk Grove personal injury lawyer. When a family member is lost to you because of a negligent driver or other entity, you may wish to place a claim for wrongful death or serious injury in an accident. Call me at (916) 694-0002 for my free, friendly advice, or you can reach me at (800) 404-5400. I can also be contacted online.
I am a member of Million Dollar Advocates and the Top 1 Percent.
My legal team and I have helped many Elk Grove residents and other Northern Californians since 1982 in getting the compensation they deserve for wrongful deaths, traumas such as brain injuries, and in all kinds of car accidents.
Helpful information about my law office can be found below:
Attributed photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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