Fatal Single-Vehicle Accident in Folsom
A single-vehicle accident fatality occurred in Folsom on October 18 in Sacramento near Bidwell and Sibley Streets when the driver collided with a tree. Officers with the Folsom Police Department reported that the accident occurred around 7:00 in the morning. The driver was a male, whose identity has not yet been released, pending family notification by the coroner’s office. There were no other occupants of the vehicle involved in the crash. Folsom police officers stayed at the scene to conduct an investigation into why it occurred.
Losing a Loved One Suddenly
Whether it’s in a single-vehicle accident or a head-on collision, losing a loved one unexpectedly often leads to both physical and emotional issues. Although everyone’s response is different, people in this situation often experience shock and a refusal to believe it happened. This is accompanied by an inability to eat, sleep or to discuss the accident. Gradually this subsides, yet the person now faces an intense period of grief accompanied by anger and lack of focus and fear that it can happen again.
How to Care for a Suddenly Bereaved Family Member
Caregivers need to help those who are going through this difficult loss. There are a few things that might help:
- Basic needs: It is important to make sure that the bereaved person is eating and sleeping properly. This is not always an easy task. Simply dropping off food might not work as it often will go uneaten. Taking a little time and staying for the meal might be a better choice.
- Keep the person safe: In many instances, the person’s mind is on the loss of their loved one and not necessarily on a task at hand. It is safer to have someone available to drive and cook, two potentially dangerous activities.
- Provide information as it becomes available: Keeping information about the accident away from the person may not be the best choice for everyone in that situation. The bereaved person needs to make sense of what happened to deal with it.
- Responsibilities: Some bereaved people have dependents they care for. This does not change due to a death. It helps if others in the family aid with these tasks during this difficult period.
- Help with decisions: Many times, other family members in an effort to try to make decisions that are the province of the grieving widow or parent. This is not always the best idea. Providing support as these decisions are made is usually a better idea.
How Does a Single-Vehicle Accident Happen?
Single-vehicle accidents are fairly common. They can be caused by a run-off road incident, speed, poor weather conditions, fatigue, medical problems, and road defects. Brake failure or loss of steering can also contribute. In some cases, another car or truck forces the vehicle off the road and then disappears, making it look as if no one else was involved. If any of these precipitating factors were caused by the negligence of another party or entity such as a government agency, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed.
What Does a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Do?
A family files a wrongful death lawsuit when their loved one was killed by negligence. In such cases, damages are paid for funeral costs, burial expenses, end of life medical care, loss of companionship, financial support the deceased provided, and other compensation. This will not bring back the deceased or lessen the family’s grief, but it will help resolve the financial burden they have.
How an Attorney Can Help
At our firm, we understand and empathize with the loss our clients feel in this situation. Because evidence that the accident was caused by another party or entity is crucial to the outcome of the case, we immediately dispatch our investigative team to the accident scene. They search for proof that the accident was caused by negligence on the part of another. This may be in the form of a manufacturing defect or another vehicle. Once we have accumulated this information, along with videos of the accident via traffic surveillance cameras and interviewing witnesses, we release it to our lawyers who use it to build a strong case in our client’s favor.
Folsom Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Folsom wrongful death lawyer. If you suffered the loss of a loved one due to negligence, I’m here to help. For my free and friendly advice, give me a call at (916) 921-6400 locally or (800) 404-5400 if calling long-distance. An online contact form is also available.
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Since 1982, I’ve helped defend the right to compensation of those injured by negligence in any type of traffic collision, traumas such as brain injuries and wrongful deaths.
You can find out more about how I have helped my clients over the years by clicking on the following links:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/roses-morning-mist-cemetery-61203/
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