Sacramento Man Killed in Oakland Motorcycle Accident
A Sacramento man was killed in a motorcycle accident in Oakland on October 23. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the crash occurred at 4:15 in the evening north of 5th Street on Interstate 880. According to authorities at the scene of the crash, the biker was splitting lanes while traveling at about 40 mph, when the motorcycle was hit by a silver Mercedes-Benz that had tried to move left. The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and landed on the road. Rescue crews transported the man to Highland Hospital. Sadly, the motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the hospital. Officials have identified the biker as 31-year-old Bolaji Famuyiwa of Sacramento. Moreover, a GoFundMe page has been created by the family of Mr. Famuyiwa to help cover his funeral expenses.
Dealing With a Sudden Death
The sudden death of a loved one results in overwhelming grief for the family. However, due to its unexpectedness, many also experience shock, disbelief and sometimes anger. A person in this position has difficulty coming to grips with the person’s death and no chance to say goodbye. Without warning, their world is shaken and torn apart. It is difficult to watch someone you care for go through this without trying to help. While grief is personal and something each person must deal with in their own way, there are several things that caregivers/friends can do:
- Basic needs: We all have basic needs, such as eating and sleeping. The grieving individual will often ignore them or be too busy organizing funeral and burial procedures to pay attention. A friend or family member can help by preparing meals and spending time with them.
- Help with children and pets: Many of us are responsible for children and pets. The grieving person is too but may find coping with the routine tasks too much to handle when a family member dies. Friends and family can lend a hand and take part of the burden off them.
- Burial and funeral decisions: Soon after a death in the family, there are many decisions that need to be made. While it is not good to exclude the grieving person from such decisions, it is important to be there with them.
- Talking about the death: Sometimes, friends and family try to avoid making the bereaved talk about the person who died. They also avoid talking about the accident that took the person’s life, thinking that it would be too stressful for the people left behind. This is far from the truth. While it is not good to obsess on the accident, allowing the bereaved to talk about it helps them deal with it.
- Remember the good times: Oftentimes, the way we remember the decedent is what happened at the end of their life. There are many good things that happened in the past. Remembering those times and talking about the love and joy that was an integral part of life is important.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting is allowed in California. For non-bikers, it may be an unknown subject, so here are a few facts about lane splitting:
Lane splitting or whitelining allows a biker to ride between rows of stalled, slow-moving or stopped traffic. In California, there is no law that permits lane splitting, but there is no prohibition against it either. In 2016, a law called AB51 defined the practice and allowed law enforcement agencies to establish ground rules. Riders were reminded that speed has a detrimental effect on the safety of the motorcyclist when lane splitting and can lead to a motorcycle accident. Riding between trucks is also not a good idea. Riding on the shoulder of the road is illegal and is not considered lane splitting.
- Bikers should not travel at speeds more than 10 mph faster than other vehicles. As the speed increases, so does the chance of a collision.
- It is not recommended to lane split when other traffic is moving at more than 30 mph.
- Lane splitting should not be done near on and off-ramps.
- Motorists have no right to block a biker who is lane splitting.
What an Attorney Can Do for You
When a family member dies in an accident with a negligent driver, your attorney can help by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. While this does not bring the person back, it does help with the financial difficulties surrounding their death. For instance, funeral and burial expenses can be daunting, and families are suddenly deprived of the support the decedent provided. In addition, a spouse and children may find themselves without the love and care they enjoyed prior to the decedent’s death.
How Does Our Firm Help Our Clients?
At our firm, we are well aware of the need to prove that another person caused the motorcycle accident. Without proving negligence, the case cannot proceed. We do this by dispatching our investigative team to the accident site as soon as possible. We examine the area for clues as to why the accident occurred, interview witnesses, and review police reports to check for inaccuracies. If possible, we also obtain video footage of the motorcycle accident. This can be acquired from surveillance cameras that record traffic in the area. Once this information is available, we release it to our lawyers, who use it to build a strong case against the defendant.
Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney. If you have lost a loved one, call me for free and friendly advice. You can reach me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400. If it is more convenient to do so, contact me online.
I’ve helped Northern Californians for the past 37 years obtain the compensation they deserve. Some of the areas I work in are traumatic accidents, wrongful deaths, and different varieties of car accidents, along with motorcycle crashes.
I am a member of the following organizations, among others:
Learn more about my practice at the following links:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/cementerio-flor-cemetery-death-948048/
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