On a recent Tuesday evening, a 45-year-old man driving a Chevy Suburban struck another vehicle head-on in Hesperia. There were several occupants in the other car. The massive impact of the collision resulted in severe injuries to one person, as well as several fatalities. Investigators say that the driver who reportedly caused the accident is suspected of drunk driving.
Sadly, three people died because of the collision. A 58-year-old man who was driving the vehicle when it was hit was among the fatally injured victims. Two of his passengers, a 22-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman, also suffered fatal injuries. A 21-year-old man survived but suffered serious injuries.
Grieving the loss of loved ones after a fatal collision
Receiving news that a loved one has died in a California motor vehicle collision is one of the most devastating experiences that can happen in life. Each loss of human life sends a ripple of grief throughout the victims’ families and communities. When an accident investigation shows that a crash was preventable and was caused by the other driver’s negligence or reckless behavior, it intensifies the grief, and in many cases, compels surviving family members to seek justice in civil court.
California law allows immediate family members who have lost loved ones in a collision to file a wrongful death claim against the person deemed responsible for the incident. A plaintiff in a wrongful death case must prove that the defendant owed a duty of care to the decedent at the time of the collision, that he or she did not fulfill that duty, and that the breach of duty caused the accident that resulted in a fatality. Because this type of litigation is typically complex and highly stressful, it is always best to seek experienced legal support before heading to court.