Sacramento County Bicyclist Fatality
The search is on for the driver who struck and killed a Sacramento County bicyclist on November 21 on San Juan Road. The accident happened just before 6:00 p.m. in the vicinity of Garden Highway. A California Highway Patrol (CHP) spokesperson said that a person who witnessed the incident alerted them to the accident. The witness said that they saw a white passenger vehicle swerve from east to westbound lanes and then saw a bicyclist lying in the road. At this time, authorities are uncertain if the sedan, which left the scene, was trying to avoid hitting the cyclist or struck the Sacramento County bicyclist. Officer Mike Zerfas, with the CHP, described the cyclist as a homeless man. The identity of the deceased remains unknown at this time.
Losing a Loved One in an Accident
Losing a loved one is always a hard thing, but when their death is due to a sudden, unexpected accident, the grief is compounded. Many are haunted by the inability to say goodbye or to tell the deceased how much they were loved and appreciated. Some people feel a sense of guilt that they could have somehow intervened in the accidental loss of life. The complexities of human reaction to death are often best left to those who are trained to help others. However, there are things that family and friends can do to help in the days and weeks following a loved one’s death:
- Basic needs: Many people facing the unexpected death of a loved one will neglect such basic needs as eating and sleeping the way they should. Offering to pick up groceries or preparing meals is a great help during this time. By taking the burden off the family, it lowers the stress level and allows them to cope with the loss they suffered.
- Helping with children: Families that have small children often find it hard to keep up a somewhat normal schedule for their sake. Offering to take them to school and pick them up can help in this regard.
- Checking essential items: Many people take needed medications every day. Following a sudden death, they may forget to fill prescriptions or be unable to pick them up. Ask them to check if any are getting low, and offer to stop by the pharmacy for them.
- Helping with end-of-life preparations: Many preparations are needed before the funeral. This can be very difficult for someone facing the unexpected loss of a loved one. Offering to help them and accompanying the bereaved person to the funeral parlor can be helpful.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit in a Sacramento County Bicyclist Fatality
When someone dies due to a negligent act, the family often demands that the defendant be brought to justice. This is accomplished by filing a wrongful death claim. The claim can be filed with the court by family members. It will help pay for funeral and burial expenses as well as compensate the family for financial help the deceased provided. While it will not dissolve the grief the family feels, it will make it easier to cope financially.
How an Attorney Can Help
Everyone at our firm empathizes with the difficulty a death brings to the family. We’ve all been there. We offer not just our compassion but also our legal help during this difficult period. We dispatch our investigative team to the scene of the accident to determine who was at fault and how the accident happened. To do this, we canvass the area looking for clues, interview witnesses, and obtain videos of the accident from several sources. Our investigators release the data to our legal team. If the accident involved a hit and run driver, we work alongside authorities to locate them. In the event they cannot be located, we help you receive compensation from the uninsured motorist protection you may carry in your auto insurance coverage. If you don’t have this protection and a family member living with you has it, you are still covered whether you were driving, walking, or hit in a Sacramento County bicyclist fatality.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. The death of a loved one brings many emotional and financial challenges. I can help. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can reach me online too.
I’ve been helping clients since 1982 obtain justice in wrongful deaths caused by car accidents, pedestrian injuries, and other traumatic events.
I am pleased to say I belong to the Million Dollar Advocates and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
Learn more about my practice at the following sites:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/police-crime-scene-blue-light-850054/
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