Accident on Interstate 5 Claims Life of Motorcyclist
A fatal motorcycle accident occurred in Sacramento on Saturday, March 6, when the rider was struck by two vehicles. The accident happened around 9:36 p.m. along I-5 northbound, approaching the connecter to Highway 50 eastbound. According to the police report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the motorcycle rider, age 67, was in the process of switching lanes when he was rear-ended by a BMW.
Further Information About the Motorcycle Accident
The rider was ejected from his motorcycle and was then struck by a Honda. He was declared dead by emergency responders at the scene. The rider’s identity has not yet been released, pending notification of the family. Traffic was backed up to 6th Avenue due to the incident.
Arrest Made in Fatal Motorcycle Accident
Both the driver of the BMW and that of the Honda remained at the fatal motorcycle accident scene and were cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the CHP. It was discovered at that time that the BMW driver, age 43, appeared to be intoxicated, and he was arrested and booked into the main jail for Sacramento County. In addition, the driver told investigators that he was texting when the crash occurred. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Losing a Loved One in an Accident
Losing a loved one is bad enough in a fatal motorcycle accident but worse when the death is sudden and unexpectedly caused by a negligent driver. The family is in shock, grieving, and confused because they are wondering why it happened. Because they are grieving, it may not occur to them until later that they can face serious financial repercussions from the loss of their family member, especially if it was someone who contributed to their support.
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim
When negligence by another individual or entity was the cause of your loved one’s demise, the family may wish to file a wrongful death claim. By filing, the family’s grief will not be alleviated. However, it can help give them a sense of justice and closure. The following are areas where compensation may be sought:
- Expenses for the funeral service and burial
- Income that will be lost until the age of retirement, which includes pension, bonuses, insurance, etc.
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of consortium and the love and companionship of the loved one
- Loss of guidance, nurturing, and care
- Loss of household services, which are jobs the deceased normally performed around the house such as mowing the lawn, cooking, or taking care of the vehicles
Filing a Survival Action
A survival action can be filed on behalf of the deceased person if they lived for a time before their death from a fatal motorcycle accident. Under a survival action, punitive damages may be filed if the death had an egregious cause or was intentional. In addition, claims may be made for the deceased person’s pain and suffering and to cover the medical expenses.
Helping a Grieving Family
Nothing will lessen the grief that a family is going through when they lose their loved one. However, there are things that friends, other family members, and coworkers can do to show their sympathy. They include:
- Calling, sending a card or flowers, or making a donation to the deceased person’s favorite charity
- Sending over a prepared dish or ordering food to be delivered to the house
- Visiting to offer a listening ear because grieving people often need to talk about their loved one
- Offering to do household chores such as mowing the lawn or washing dishes
- Picking up children from school or running errands for the family
- Remembering to stay in touch frequently following the funeral service
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. Little is worse for a family than losing a loved one because of someone’s negligent actions. If this happened to you, I have compassionate, free and friendly advice to offer. Please get in touch with me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. You can also reach me online if that is easier for you.
My legal team and I have helped many Sacramentans since 1982 in getting the compensation they deserve in cases involving wrongful deaths, motorcycle crashes, traumatic injuries, and all types of car accidents.
I belong to the following groups that I’m really proud of as well as others:
At the links below, you can discover more about my law firm:
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