Accident at Deer Lake Drive Takes Life of Bicyclist
A garbage truck killed a bicyclist on May 23 in a residential area of Sacramento after striking the rider. According to a spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department, Officer Ryan Woo, the accident occurred in the area of Valley Hi/North Laguna. Officers were called to the collision around 8:45 a.m. near the Deer Lake Drive intersection of La Tarriga Way, where they discovered the bicycle rider, who had suffered serious injuries. The bicycle rider died at the scene of the accident.
Traffic Detectives Investigating Garbage Truck Fatal Collision With Bicyclist
Traffic detectives arrived at the scene to investigate how the fatal garbage truck accident happened. The investigation is ongoing. The name of the deceased bicyclist has not yet been released, pending notification of the family.
Commercial Vehicles and Pedestrian Accidents
The size and weight of commercial vehicles are much greater than those of passenger cars. Trash trucks and those that are hauling rocks, cement and other products are cumbersome with poor visibility and maneuverability. Not only are these vehicles large and heavy, but they also have blind spots and are difficult to handle.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that garbage truck drivers have accidents when they leave for work in the early hours of the morning, make frequent stops and turns and use spotters because of their poor field of view. Garbage truck drivers can cause serious injury or death to others in a number of ways such as:
- Overloaded trucks are more difficult to maneuver in an emergency and are more prone to experiencing a rollover.
- If the truck driver speeds, it becomes more difficult to slow down the vehicle or avoid an accident up ahead.
- They fail to see another vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist in their path because they are texting or talking on their cell phones.
- An overtired driver cannot avoid a crash because he/she is not alert.
- An inexperienced driver may not be able to handle such a big, heavy vehicle that has limited visibility.
- A driver changes lanes without checking his blind spots and collides with a passenger car or person nearby.
- A poorly maintained garbage truck caused the accident.
Filing a Garbage Truck vs Bicyclist Fatality Claim in Sacramento County
The laws of California specify the damages that can be recovered when someone dies due to the negligence of another. The recovery of damages in a wrongful death lawsuit includes:
- Expenses for a funeral and burial are recoupable.
- Recovering personal services provided by the decedent such as car care, tax preparation, gardening, etc., is possible.
- Family members are left with the loss of income provided by the departed as well as their insurance, pension, IRA contributions, and any additional monies they might have earned. Those are recoverable.
- Loss of consortium, which refers to the intimate relationship between spouses, is recoverable.
- It is possible to claim loss of companionship, protection and care.
- Since the deceased can no longer contribute to the estate, the heirs can recover their loss of inheritance in some cases.
- A survival action may be claimed if the relative lived for some time before dying. This compensation covers the loved one’s hospital and medical bills, ambulance costs, and damages for his/her pain and suffering.
Filing a Claim Against the City Before the Deadline Expires
When filing a claim against a government agency, the usual deadline to do this changes. In California, you have six months to advise the municipal or state agency of an accident due to negligence. The government has 45 days to respond. If they do not respond, you have two years to file a lawsuit. However, if they deny the claim, you have six months to file a lawsuit. Talk to your injury lawyer about the deadlines, exceptions to this rule and procedures involved in filing against a government entity.
If you fail to adhere to this schedule, the claim will no longer be valid, and the injured party will need to assume the burden of paying damages associated with the accident. A personal injury lawyer will ensure that all documents are filed properly and in a timely manner.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. You can contact us for our compassionate, free and friendly advice after you’ve lost a loved one in an accident at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We can also be reached online. We can offer you a free consultation, held either in person or virtually, to go over your case and tell you about opportunities to recover the compensation you deserve.
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Photo attribution: Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay
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