Man Killed After Big Rig Crash in Fresno County
A man was killed after a big rig crash on Highway 99 near Selma, CA, in Fresno County on the night of Monday, June 22, 2020. The truck accident occurred on southbound CA-99, and Manning Avenue, just north of State Route 43, around 11:00 p.m. Officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the driver of a tractor-trailer reportedly struck and killed a pedestrian in one of the traffic lanes. Officials have not yet released the decedent’s identity due to pending notification of family members.
Investigation of the Fresno County Big Rig Crash
The CHP has been working to determine why the pedestrian was in the roadway. A preliminary investigation revealed that a vehicle was located along the opposite side of SR-99 that had been involved in a relatively minor crash, the CHP said. That car was found to be unoccupied upon arrival of authorities, so they are working to investigate whether that driver was the pedestrian who was hit and killed nearby.
Most Common Causes of Trucking Collisions Involving Pedestrians
Pedestrians struck by large commercial trucks often suffer catastrophic or even fatal injuries due to the sheer size and weight of big rigs. Truck drivers often face difficulty when seeing pedestrians on the road. This is particularly true on freeways, where 18-wheelers have large blind spots, which are often the cause of many traffic collisions. Other common causes of big rig crashes involving pedestrians include the following:
- The driver of the truck was following other vehicles on the roadway too closely
- The truck driver was distracted while behind the wheel by using a cell phone
- The trucker was driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI)
- The driver of the truck was excessively speeding
- The truck driver was falling asleep or dozing off while operating the big rig
Wrongful Death Claim After a Truck Accident
There may be several avenues for recovery after a fatal pedestrian vs. truck accident. The surviving family members of the decedent may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the truck driver and their insurance company. Survivors may also be able to bring a claim against the trucking firm that employed the trucker if there was an employment relationship. Economic and non-economic damages may be recovered through wrongful death truck accident cases. These include:
- Bills for accident-related medical care received by the decedent before they passed away (this may be claimed through a survival action)
- Expenses for a loved one’s funeral and burial services
- The decedent’s earnings if they had lived to their full life expectancy
- Loss of future financial support and employment benefits for survivors like medical insurance or pension
- Lost companionship, affection, and comfort
- Mental anguish and emotional trauma
- The value of household services a loved one would have provided if not for the wrongful death truck accident
- Other gifts the deceased would have provided to the family
- Punitive damages may be awarded in cases involving egregious conduct like excessive speeding or DUI
Watch the video below for more information about wrongful death claims.
How a Lawyer Can Help After a Wrongful Death of a Loved One
At AutoAccident.com, it is our goal to help families of Fresno and throughout the golden state, obtain justice and solace. Our Fresno wrongful death lawyers can help families affected by wrongful death by handling the legal complexities of their case. This way, survivors can focus on grieving and recovering from their loss without stressing over the wrongful death claims process.
Truck Accident Lawyers in Fresno
I’m Ed Smith, a Fresno truck accident lawyer. The loss of a loved one after a truck accident is devastating and heartbreaking for the family they leave behind. If you have lost someone you love after a big rig crash in the Fresno area, please call me at (559) 377-7676 or (800) 404-5400 to receive my free, friendly advice on how to proceed with a wrongful death claim.
Check client reviews of our law firm at the following links:
I am proud to be a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and the Million Dollar Advocates.
At AutoAccident.com, we understand how devastating it is to lose a loved one in a truck accident, which is why we handle wrongful death cases with the utmost compassion. To see how we have resolved cases in the past for families affected by wrongful death, go to our Verdicts and Settlements page.
Photo Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/two-red-roses-grey-marble-4219904/
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