Female Pedestrian Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver
A pedestrian lost her life to a hit-and-run driver along Garden Highway on January 4. The accident happened between Lincoln Road and Epley Drive at about 10:45 p.m., according to Sacramento Police Department spokesperson, Officer Chad Lewis. When police responded to the call, they found a woman who had apparently been struck by a motor vehicle and had suffered major injuries.
Fatal Accident Investigation Ongoing by Authorities
Personnel with the Sacramento Fire Department pronounced the pedestrian dead at the accident scene. An investigation into the accident by police detectives determined that she had been struck by a hit-and-run driver. That section of Garden Highway remained shut down until around 5:45 a.m. the next morning. An investigation into the fatal accident is ongoing. The identity of the pedestrian has not yet been released pending notification of the family by the County Coroner’s Office.
Filing a Claim for Wrongful Death
When someone dies because of negligence or an intentional act, the estate representative of the deceased or the immediate family may want to file a wrongful death claim. Filing a claim means that the family may be able to recover damages for the loss of their loved one. In addition, it makes the at-fault party take responsibility for their actions and can bring the family members justice and a sense of closure.
Locating a Hit-and-Run Driver
When a driver who fled the accident scene was responsible for the death of your family member, it is important to locate that person to hold them responsible. Our law office has a good record of locating hit-and-run drivers to help bring that person to justice. We believe that it is terrible to lose a family member in this way. The family should not also bear the financial brunt of that loss. We send out our investigators to collect the evidence needed to find that driver, including:
- The investigators go to the scene of the accident caused by the hit-and-run driver to take photographs and gather evidence such as dropped pieces of metal from the vehicle and paint smears. These items can help identify the make and model of the car or light truck.
- The accident report the police filed is checked to see if any helpful information is included and to ensure its accuracy.
- Traffic cameras in the area are examined to see if the hit-and-run driver accident was captured on film.
- Witnesses are interviewed. Sometimes, witnesses can describe the vehicle and driver in question. In others, the accident may have been captured by a witness on their cell phone.
- Accident reconstruction is performed, which often points toward who was at fault for the collision.
Once the hit-and-run driver has been located, our injury lawyers take the compiled evidence and use it to build a strong case that supports the family’s wrongful death claim. Families may recover economic damages such as the funeral and burial expenses as well as wages the decedent would have earned up until retirement age. Other damages can be recovered as well, which your injury lawyer can explain to you in detail.
Wrongful Death Attorneys in Sacramento
My name is Ed Smith, and I am a wrongful death attorney in Sacramento. When your loved one died in an accident caused by a negligent driver, the family may wish to find out about placing a wrongful death claim. You are welcome to contact us for our free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400. We can also be reached at (800) 404-5400 or by sending us an online message.
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Helpful information on how we have assisted other Northern Californians in obtaining compensation can be found at the pages that follow:
Our team of injury lawyers has helped Sacramento residents in obtaining the compensation they deserve following a wrongful death or all kinds of other traffic collisions since 1982.
Photo attribution: Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay
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