Los Banos Man Dies After Newman Auto Accident
On Friday, October 25, 2019, a man who had been pruning trees at a house in a rural area west of the community of Newman lost his life after the tree he was working in was struck by a vehicle. The decedent has been identified as 48-year-old Los Banos man Cornelio Cornejo, who had reportedly been helping his family maintain their property when the accident took place. The driver and one passenger of the vehicle also suffered minor injuries during the accident. According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), this accident remains under investigation.
Crash Information
The accident took place at around 7:45 a.m. A 33-year-old man had been driving a GMC Yukon on Eastin road at a speed of about 65 miles per hour. Reports indicated that the man was traveling with two of his children, aged five and seven years old, in his backseat. At this time, a cat ran out onto the road from a nearby orchard. The driver swerved to avoid hitting the animal and drove off the road as a result. The vehicle traveled up a raised area around a local property and went airborne, traveling several feet above a fence and striking the tree Cornejo had been pruning.
According to police, the impact broke the tree apart and knocked Cornejo off of the top of his ladder. Investigators have stated that they are trying to determine whether or not the vehicle actually made contact with Cornejo.
Response
Emergency medical officials were dispatched to the scene right away and discovered Cornejo in critical condition. Medics gave Cornejo CPR and called for a medical helicopter. A ground ambulance transported Cornejo to the helicopter landing zone, where he was tragically pronounced deceased. Cornejo’s father-in-law, who had reportedly been holding the ladder at the time of the incident, did not suffer any physical trauma as a result of the crash.
The driver of the GMC was left with minor injuries, and his 5-year-old child sustained a small laceration on their lip. The 7-year-old child was uninjured. Police say both children were properly restrained in regulation car seats.
Recovering after Fatal Accidents
Families can be devastated by the effects of a fatal auto accident. Not only does losing a family member cause serious emotional trauma, but a fatal crash can also come along with serious financial difficulties. Many families are left unsure of how they will be able to pay for medical expenses related to the accident as well as funeral costs. Furthermore, losing a loved one also often means losing a source of income as well as household services like childcare, home maintenance, cooking, and cleaning.
In many cases, families don’t even know that they are able to claim compensation for these losses by filing a wrongful death claim. Parties such as auto manufacturers or government entities responsible for roadway maintenance are frequently found negligent in these incidents and can be held responsible for the financial and personal losses that the crash caused. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to get in touch with a wrongful death lawyer to get the information you need to make sure your family has the money they need after suffering such a terrible loss.
More Articles by Ed Smith, Modesto Wrongful Death Lawyer
Modesto Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto wrongful death lawyer. If your loved one lost their life during a vehicle accident, call me to receive free, friendly advice about the legal options that may be available to your family. To speak to me, you can call either (800) 404-5400 or (209) 227-1931 and ask for Ed.
I’ve been working with families in Modesto and other area cities since 1982 and have achieved a long list of settlements and verdicts on behalf of my valued clients. To see what my clients think about me and my team, you can read their reviews on these websites:
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