La Mancha Way Pedestrian Fatality Involves Hit-and-Run Driver
A midnight hit-and-run in Sacramento caused the death of a pedestrian on August 20. The fatal crash occurred near the intersection of La Mancha Way and Elder Court, according to the Sacramento Police Department incident report. They said when responding officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a man with major injuries lying in the roadway that appeared to have been caused by a vehicle.
Sacramento Police Looking for Hit-and-Run Driver in Fatal Pedestrian Accident
The injured pedestrian was taken by medics with the Sacramento Fire Department to a hospital for medical care but died later. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office has recently released the identity of the decedent: Richard Albert Tam, 48 of Sacramento. A GoFundMe page has been created on behalf of Mr. Richard Tam and his family.
The investigation into the cause of the accident and to locate the hit-and-run driver is ongoing. Police are asking that those with information involving the accident to phone Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-4357 or their dispatch center at 916-808-5471.
How Can I File a Wrongful Death Claim if the Driver Left the Scene?
There are two different ways in which a family may file a wrongful death claim if they lost their loved one because of a negligent driver. The first way is to locate the driver and hold them financially responsible. At our law firm, we have successfully located hit-and-run drivers to do just that.
Holding the Fleeing Driver Financially Responsible
The fleeing driver can be held responsible either through their auto insurance or in civil court by filing a lawsuit. In many cases, the at-fault insurance company will make an initial low-ball offer, hoping the family will accept it and sign off. This prevents the family or estate administrator from coming back on the insurance company later for higher compensation.
Representation by an accident attorney can ensure this doesn’t happen. The attorney can negotiate for you to obtain the best possible result for your loss. He or she can also take the case to court to get the compensation you deserve if negotiations with the insurance company fail.
In other cases, the hit-and-run driver either doesn’t carry a high enough insurance policy to cover the damages or is uninsured. In these circumstances, the case can go to civil court with the help of an accident attorney to sue the driver for the damages. If the driver neither has car insurance nor the wherewithal to pay the damages in court, there is still another option.
Using Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If the pedestrian who died in a hit-and-run carried uninsured/underinsured insurance, that may be used to pay for some expenses. All Californians are offered this add-on policy when they first elect to take auto insurance. If the deceased party does not have this insurance but another family member does, that may be used instead. It does not change the rates the insured person is paying in the future.
Wrongful Death Attorney in Sacramento
I am Ed Smith, a wrongful death attorney in Sacramento. Our law firm is here to help your family if your loved one was killed by another driver in a pedestrian accident. We are here to help you and can give you information about filing a wrongful death claim. Give us a call for free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for more information. We can also be reached online.
Photo attribution: Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay
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