Merced County Truck Accident Fatality
A Merced County truck accident fatality occurred on the evening of March 2 along Highway 165 and Crane Avenue, just south of Hilmar. An elderly man was driving a 2008 Lexus sedan along the highway when the driver of a 2013 Peterbilt big rig hauling milk reportedly pulled into the intersection. The Lexus driver was unable to react in time to avoid a collision and struck the left front tires of the milk truck, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Sadly, the driver of the Lexus passed away at the scene. The decedent has been identified by the Merced County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office as 82-year-old Frederick Gleason of Stevinson. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of Mr. Gleason during this difficult time.
Investigation of the Merced County Truck Accident Fatality
The cause of the truck accident is unknown due to a pending investigation by CHP. However, officials do not believe alcohol or drugs contributed to the collision.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Accidents between large trucks and passenger vehicles commonly occur due to:
- Blind Spots: Large trucks have massive blind spots along the sides of the vehicle. Truck drivers can easily miss smaller cars in their blind spots, resulting in a sideswipe collision.
- Rear-End Collisions: Large trucks require longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles. For this reason, truck drivers are obligated to maintain longer following distances. Driving while distracted or following too closely can cause a truck to rear-end another vehicle. This often results in catastrophic harm for those riding in smaller cars.
- Rollovers: Any obstruction can cause a large truck to lose control and overturn such as uneven pavement and contact with a guardrail, curb, or another vehicle. A big rig that takes turns too sharply can also trigger a rollover, especially if it is hauling an unbalanced or full load.
- Swinging Turns: These occur when a large truck crashes into another vehicle while turning. These can happen by a trucker making too wide of a turn and striking other cars head-on, vehicles squeezing beside a turning truck without sufficient clearance, and a truck swinging left to make a right turn.
- Underride and Override Accidents: These occur when a passenger vehicle passes underneath a truck from either the front, side or rear. The roof of a smaller car can crush as it goes under the big rig, even at low speeds. Lack of conspicuity of the truck on the road as well as improperly inflated tires, speeding and tailgating are common causes of these crashes.
Common Injuries in a Truck Accident
When a truck accident occurs, it often results in high property damage and serious injuries. This is due to the overwhelming weight and size of these vehicles. Some of the common injuries suffered in these crashes include broken bones, cervical sprain, spinal cord injuries, internal trauma, and traumatic brain injuries. In some cases, these accidents can claim the life of a loved one.
Truck Accidents and Wrongful Death
An unexpected death in the family is followed by a period of emotional struggle and deep grief. The financial burden of losing a family member can be even more so devastating in such times. If the death occurred in a truck accident caused by the negligence of another party or entity, the combination of all these feelings can seem unbearable. In these situations, a family can turn to a wrongful death claim for some relief. These types of claims help hold parties financially responsible for a loved one’s death. Compensation from these claims can help cover a loved one’s accident-related medical expenses incurred before his or her passing, funeral and burial expenses, lost inheritance, loss of future income for the household, and other related damages. To learn who is eligible to file for wrongful death, watch the below video.
How a Law Firm Can Help
When someone you love is tragically lost in a truck accident, it can feel like your life has turned upside down. In these situations, an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Merced can help reassure a grieving family and obtain the financial compensation they need and deserve from responsible parties. While compensation from a wrongful death claim cannot undo a tragic accident, it can help a family move forward from their loss without financial worry.
Merced Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced truck accident lawyer. Truck accidents can have fatal and devastating results. If you or a loved one has been injured or even killed in a truck accident caused by the fault of someone else, I am here to provide you with free, friendly case advice on your situation. Please phone me at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
Client ratings and reviews of our law office can be found at the following links:
The Million Dollar Advocates invites trial attorneys to join if they have obtained $1 million or more for a client. I proudly belong to this forum as a California member. I am also listed as a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. This group recognizes attorneys that are deemed to uphold the highest legal standards.
Learn more about our law firm by browsing a selection of our previous cases listed on our Verdicts and Settlements page.
Merced County Truck Accident Fatality: AutoAccident.com
Image Attribution: By “Counselling” via Pixabay / Merced County Truck Accident Fatality
:ds [cs 911]