Accident on Valley Hi Drive Results in Pedestrian Death
A pedestrian fatality occurred in Sacramento following an accident with a motor vehicle on October 26 in the area of Valley Hi Drive. The Sacramento Police Department reported that the road between Mack Road and Bruceville Road had been shut down at about 5:00 in the morning due to the accident. Commuters were requested to access an alternate route as the incident scene was cleared. An investigation was being conducted into what caused the death of the pedestrian. No information has yet been released on the identity of the deceased person.
Motor Vehicle Accidents Can Cause a Pedestrian Fatality
Pedestrians can certainly be at fault in an accident with a motor vehicle. It can be caused when a walker crosses outside the crosswalk, is distracted or tries to run across the street against the light. However, many accidents are the fault of the driver. Some ways in which a driver is at fault for a pedestrian fatality include:
- Running a stop sign or red light is a major cause of a pedestrian fatality.
- Speeding can contribute to a pedestrian fatality because the driver is going too fast to be able to stop if a light changes suddenly.
- Drunk or drugged driving contributes to all types of accident fatalities and injuries.
- Fatigue, especially after dark, can cause a pedestrian accident. Studies have shown that an overly fatigued driver is as dangerous on the road as someone who is intoxicated.
- Making an illegal or risky turn in front of an individual crossing the street can cause a pedestrian fatality.
- Distracted driving is a major cause of pedestrian injuries and deaths. The driver may be texting, talking on a cell phone, changing a radio station, or other distractions.
Compensation Following a Pedestrian Fatality
If a negligent motorist causes a pedestrian fatality, family members of the deceased may file a claim for damages with the help of an experienced injury lawyer. Those who are eligible to file as a group are members of the immediate household and include:
- The spouse or putative spouse
- Children of the deceased
- Stepchildren if they received at least half their support from the decedent
- Adopted children living in the household
- Parents if they received 50 percent or more of their support from the decedent
Contact an experienced pedestrian and car accident lawyer if you have additional questions.
Helping After the Loss of a Loved One
When friends or family have lost a loved one, it is natural to want to empathize with them and express your sympathy. However, some people might not know how to do this or think they will be intruding on the grieving family. Some of the following ideas on how to express your support follow:
- Send a sympathy card, flowers, or a charitable donation in the deceased person’s name to their favorite charity.
- Call or visit if the family is receiving visitors.
- Offer to run errands such as picking up food or medicine or picking up children from school.
- Offer to babysit the children to give the adults in the household a breather.
- Send over food, whether prepared at home or ordered out.
- If the grieving person is a widow or widower, offer to accompany them to make the funeral arrangements. Doing this alone is difficult, and having a sympathetic person along to lean on will be welcome.
Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento pedestrian accident lawyer. If you lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident because of someone’s negligent actions, we can help. Give us a call at (916) 921-6400 or through the toll-free line at (800) 404-5400. We also offer an online form to reach out to us.
For more than 38 years, we’ve helped Northern Californians get the compensation they deserve following a traffic accident, traumas such as brain injuries, and wrongful deaths.
Look over the following links to discover more information about our legal practice:
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