Wrongful Death Archives
What are My Legal Options if a Loved One has Passed in an Accident?
Tragically, some accidents are so severe that the victims do not survive. Car accidents are typically caused by the negligent behaviors of another party, such as texting while driving or driving under the influence.
Are Wrongful Death and Med Mal Claims the Same?
No one expects to become injured in an accident or worse, lose a loved one after they have seen a healthcare professional for a medical condition. The aftermath of these accidents is devastating.
What Constitutes a Wrongful Death?
Accidents can happen in just a moment, and sometimes they are fatal. When that is the case, surviving loved ones are left grieving the loss. In addition to their grief, family members are also left with expensive funeral and burial costs, a loss of services, and more.
Limo involved in deadly crash had been cited for faulty brakes
California readers may have heard about the horrific limousine crash that killed 20 people in upstate New York on Oct. 6. Now, media outlets are reporting that the vehicle involved in the deadly accident had been cited for brake failures by the State Department of Transportation.
Truck accident fatalities up in 2017
Many California drivers feel uneasy sharing the road with tractor-trailers and other large trucks, fearing what would happen if a truck collided with them. Unfortunately, newly released federal statistics show that uneasiness could be justified.
Wrongful death lawsuit filed against duck boat operator
California residents may have read about a July 19 accident involving a World War II-era duck boat that claimed the lives of 17 people in Missouri. Relatives of two of the victims have filed a lawsuit against the tour operator involved seeking $100 million in damages and have called for the amphibious craft to be banned. The lawsuit mentions six other accidents involving duck boats, including a 1999 sinking in Arizona that claimed 13 lives, and it alleges that the National Transportation Safety Board has branded the vehicles unsafe.
Report shows increase in fatalities in large-truck crashes
In May, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released its most recent analysis regarding commercial truck and bus crashes, and motorists in California and other states may want to know more. Upon review of the statistical information, an American Trucking Associations statement noted a positive trend spanning two decades and credited the long-term results to the efforts of the American trucking industry. However, the data indicates that the number of fatal trucking accidents actually rose from 4,074 in 2015 to 4,213 in the following year.
National Safety Council announces Road to Zero Coalition
In an effort to reduce the number of truck and other motor vehicle fatal accidents in California and around the country, the National Safety Council has announced its Road to Zero Coalition. The coalition's goal is to prevent fatal accidents by implementing multiple approaches to improve safety.
Employers could be held liable for offsite accidents
California residents may be interested to learn that Home Depot, the popular home improvement store, will face a lawsuit that claimed that the company's negligence led to the murder of an employee by a supervisor. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, in remanding the case back to the trial court, held that the company knew that the supervisor had a history of harassing lower-level female employees but still allowed him to have supervision over the female employee, who was pregnant when she was murdered.
Man killed in 3-car collision in California
Law enforcement authorities report that a 41-year-old Vacaville man was killed in a three-car collision that happened near Healdsburg. The accident happened on Aug. 10 at around 10 a.m. on Alexander Valley Road in Sonoma County.
Ford named in wrongful death suit involving limo fire
Litigation continues in the aftermath of a deadly limousine fire that killed five women on the San Mateo Bridge in California in 2013. Although other victims and family members have settled out of court, a lawsuit filed by the husband of a 43-year-old woman who died in the accident claims that Ford Motor Co. knew about the vehicle's potentially deadly defect.
Keyless ignition to blame in multiple deaths
People in California who own a car with a keyless ignition may be interested to learn that a number of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning have been associated with the technology. Class action lawsuits are in progress that allege that having an automatic shutoff for safety would have been simple and inexpensive and that manufacturers knew or should have realized the potential danger.
Actor's daughter files suit after California crash
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of Paul Walker's 16-year-old daughter alleging that the Porsche he was a passenger in the night that he and its driver died was defective. The suit claims that the 2005 Carrera GT lacked necessary stability control and had defective rubber fuel lines, and if it had those features, Walker would have survived the crash. An attorney for the girl claimed that the car was dangerous and did not belong on the street.