Merced County Truck Crash Fatality
A Merced County truck crash fatality occurred on the evening of March 2 along Highway 165 in the vicinity of Crane Avenue, just south of Hilmar. The collision involved a sedan and a big rig, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The roadway was shut down for several hours while the road was cleared and CHP investigated. Sadly, one person passed away in the accident. Officials have not yet released the identity of the decedent due to pending family notification. I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the loved ones of the decedent during this difficult time.
Common Reasons for Truck Accidents
Accidents involving large trucks can occur for a wide array of reasons. These include:
- Distracted Driving: Driving for extended periods can be tedious for a truck driver. This can prompt them to spend much of their time changing radio stations, accessing the log book or talking or texting on a cell phone. Any activity that diverts the attention of a trucker from the roadway can cause a car wreck.
- Drowsy Driving: Truckers often face fatigue on the road. This is due to trucking companies making unrealistic delivery schedules. They also require truckers to start and complete deliveries with minimal time to rest. For this reason, truck drivers often drive while feeling drowsy. This can adversely impair their ability to drive safely on the road.
- Insufficient Training: A truck driver must receive sufficient training to manage a large truck. This is to prevent mistakes that can cause a jackknife, rollover, or other types of trucking collisions.
- Lack of Maintenance: Truck drivers are required to receive training on how to perform an inspection before they hit the roads. Failure to do so or to perform regular truck maintenance can result in a blown tire, issues with the steering, and brake failure. A truck accident can occur from any of these maintenance failures.
- Speeding: Some drivers of big rigs may be tempted to make up for lost time or reach their destination faster by speeding. However, driving above the posted speed limit or too fast for roadway conditions can become deadly when a trucker does it. Since large trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, serious injury or death often result when these vehicles are involved in a collision.
Common Injuries in a Trucking Collision
Occupants of passenger vehicles often suffer traumatic injuries when involved in a collision with a large truck. This is due to the overwhelming size and weight of the big rig. Some of the injuries commonly suffered in these crashes include cervical sprain, abdominal trauma, bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. In other cases, these accidents may claim the life of a loved one.
Truck Accidents and Wrongful Death
Truck accidents often result from driver error on the part of the trucker. When a person suffers fatal injuries in these types of collisions, the family of the decedent may seek compensation from multiple parties. These may include the truck driver, the trucking company, the contractors, insurance companies, and the manufacturer of the big rig. As with any case of wrongful case, negligence must be proven to claim damages. To learn how fault is shown in a wrongful death claim, watch the below video.
Statute of Limitations
A claim for wrongful death must be filed within a specific time. If it is not filed within that time limit, it may not be eligible to be heard by the court. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. In California, a family of a decedent has two years to file. An experienced wrongful death lawyer can ensure all documents are filed and deadlines are met.
How a Law Firm Can Help
A death in the family can be an overwhelming experience. If a loved one was lost due to negligence in a truck accident, the grief may be compounded by frustration and anger. Having an experienced Merced wrongful death attorney on your side is extremely beneficial when determining which parties may be responsible for the collision. Negotiating with a party such as an insurance adjuster can be frustrating enough and doing this with three or more adjusters can be a nightmare. This is especially true for someone who is coming to terms with the grief from the loss of their loved one. This is why having a lawyer on your side is crucial to take that burden off your shoulder to focus on grieving and recovering from your loss.
Merced Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced truck accident lawyer. Being involved in a truck accident can leave you dealing with debilitating injuries. These may affect your finances and health. Having insight from an experienced attorney in these situations is crucial to protecting your right to fair compensation of resulting damages. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or was killed in a truck accident caused by the fault of another motorist or entity, please reach out to me to receive my free, friendly case advice. You may phone me at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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Merced County Truck Crash Fatality: AutoAccident.com
Photograph Source: By “StockSnap” via Pixabay / Merced County Truck Crash Fatality
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