Pedestrian Fatality Hit and Run Crash in Sacramento County
A hit and run pedestrian fatality happened along Palm Street in McClellan Park, a designated area in Sacramento County that is north of the airport, on October 1. The accident happened close to the intersection with Arnold Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) report, at about 9:00 in the morning. The accident occurred when an elderly man, age 73, and his wife were walking across the street to go to his dental appointment at the VA. Witnesses reported that the man pushed his wife out of the way of the oncoming pickup just before the collision. The man died in the collision. Following the accident, the vehicle that struck the man, described as a silver 2006 to 2011 Toyota Tacoma with an extended cab and right front-end damage, fled the scene. The identity of the deceased pedestrian has yet to be released by the county coroner’s office.
Additional Information About the Accident
The area of Palm Street, where the pedestrian fatality occurred, is commonly used by walkers, according to nearby workers, although there is no designated crosswalk there. Citrus Heights police reported that the couple was from Citrus Heights and had parked their vehicle and were crossing the street when the accident happened. The driver of the pickup that struck the pedestrian kept going down Palm Street and turned south on Watt Avenue. There were witnesses to the accident as well as traffic cameras, and police report they have a number of tools to use that could identify the vehicle and driver.
Losing a Loving Spouse
The tragedy of losing a loving spouse who sacrifices his or her life to save yours results in overwhelming grief and a torrent of other emotions. This is a difficult time for the spouse and the family as they grieve someone they hold dear and who gave much in return. Generally, an unexpected wrongful death takes its toll on a family since they are unable to say goodbye. Emotions such as anger, hopelessness, and emptiness lead to depression and seclusion in some cases. While there is no one way to overcome the grieving process, there are a few things you can do to cope, such as:
- Take care of each other: Some family members fail to eat and sleep properly, and this can be expected. However, if this continues, the person’s health will deteriorate. It is important to check on one another to make sure that this does not happen.
- Have a support system: No one should grieve alone. Having others you can turn to at this time may help the overall grieving process. Keep friends and other family members close. If necessary, turn to support groups in your community where others who have experienced the loss of a loved one help one another.
- Grief relief does not happen overnight: Although the time frame for coping with the loss of a loved one is different for everyone, the one thing that is common is that it takes awhile. The grieving person may experience good and bad days as this process continues.
- Establish a routine: After a sudden death, the routine you once shared with the decedent is no longer in place. It is important to establish a new routine, especially if children are involved.
- Find justice: One thing that a family robbed of a loved one through a negligent or intentional act shares is that they want to know what happened. If that is not done, it will be harder to move on eventually. Having an experienced, compassionate attorney at your side helps. He or she will investigate the accident and file a claim against the negligent individual.
Establishing Negligence
When someone dies due to negligence in a pedestrian fatality, it is critical to find out who is to blame. A hit and run driver may make that more challenging to do but not impossible. That is where experience comes in. We dispatch an investigative team to the accident site, talking to witnesses and nearby merchants. Many times, people familiar with the area will have questions as to why a traffic light or crosswalk was not installed in the area because of heavy pedestrian traffic. Our firm asks the same question. We check to see how many accidents happened in the area and determine if a city or state agency is not partially to blame.
We also use our own protocol to search for the hit and run driver, including obtaining videos from traffic surveillance cameras. We also review police reports for mistakes. If that driver cannot be found, we help our clients receive the compensation they deserve using uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage also covers the person if they were walking or cycling. In this way, the client will file a claim against their own insurer for burial and funeral costs and other lost support the decedent provided. Using this method, the client or other family members who have UM protection will not experience any insurance rate increases. If the client does not have UM coverage and a family member living with them does, it can be used to file.
Citrus Heights Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Citrus heights wrongful death lawyer. Compensation can be sought for the death of a loved one when negligence was the cause. Although it does not ease the grief the family feels, it can help obtain justice for the loss and help with the financial strain. Please give me a call for my free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 around the Sacramento area or (800) 404-5400 if calling long-distance. Others prefer to use our online contact form at AutoAccident.com.
I’m honored to belong to:
- Million Dollar Forum, which invites only lawyers who have won in excess of $1 million for a previous client.
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel is an invitation-only group for lawyers who uphold the highest excellence in their legal practices.
For more than 37 years, I’ve helped Northern Californians to obtain compensation in all types of traffic collisions, claims against government entities and traumatic injuries.
You can discover more information about my law practice by visiting the following pages:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/condolences-trauerkarte-letters-3991589/
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