California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Recently a tragic South Los Angeles big rig accident lead to the deaths of two young girls near Exposition Park. According to ABC 7 News, the girls were walking to school on April 4, 2019 when they were struck by the large truck.
The girls, who were sisters, were immediately rushed to the hospital for their injuries in the accident. 14-year-old Marlene Lorenzo died later that day. 12-year-old Amy Lorenzo survived the crash for several weeks in a medically induced coma, however, she recently passed away from her injuries. We send our condolences to the Lorenzo family for their losses.
In response to this tragic accident community members are calling on the city to make safety improvements in the area to help prevent this type of accident from happening again. With a school in the area, parents and students want changes like “speed bumps and improved lighting… [and] they want signage,” specifically signs explaining that the area is a school zone. These signs can help drivers be more aware that students will be crossing the street and encourage drivers to be alert and cautious when driving in the area. In the present case, investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the accident, but are looking into whether or not the driver was distracted at the time he hit the two girls.
We certainly hope the city of Los Angeles will take steps to make the Exposition Park a safe area and prevent wrongful death accidents like this one from occurring again. In a case like this, the parents of these two girls, who so suddenly and unexpectedly lost their daughters, will have the right to bring a wrongful death claim against the party responsible for the accident. In a successful wrongful death claim, the family members of the victims are awarded monetary damages for their loss, including damages for hospital bills, medical care, funeral and burial expenses, and pain and suffering. These damages certainly could never compensate for their loss but can be helpful in avoiding financial difficulties during an already difficult time.
As is this case, when the driver responsible for the deadly accident is a driver of a big rig truck the Los Angeles wrongful death claim can be brought against the insurance for the truck. Typically, big rig trucks will carry a commercial liability insurance coverage, so there is more coverage than most individuals have for their personal vehicles. As a result it is very important to determine that the truck driver was at fault and to gather information about the company the driver works for. To assist in the investigation and the wrongful death process, it is important to have an experienced wrongful death attorney by your side to ensure the claim is brought against the right party and that your family is properly compensated.
If you have lost a loved one in an accident caused by a truck, call our office as we have been handling truck injury cases for over 45 years. Call our offices now at 866-465-8792 for a FREE consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney or any member of our legal team.