Posted on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016 at 6:43 am
Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death in the United States. During 2014, there were almost 30,000 fatal traffic accidents in the United States resulting in 32,675 deaths. In California, 3,074 people died in traffic accidents during 2014. In some cases, the person who dies in a traffic accident is the person who actually caused the collision.
It is tragic when a driver dies in a car crash; however, this does not change the fact that the driver was responsible for the collision. You may feel apprehensive about taking legal action if a driver was killed in an accident; however, you must protect yourself and your family by filing an accident claim.
Holding a Driver Responsible for Damages After a Traffic Accident
Even if the driver who was responsible for a collision dies as a result of the crash, the driver can still be held responsible for injuries sustained in that accident. Most accident claims are paid by a driver’s insurance company; therefore, you can still file an accident claim against the driver’s insurance company even if the at-fault driver did not survive the accident.
Fatal traffic accidents are tragic; however, accident victims who survive must deal with the financial hardship as well as the physical and emotional damage. An accident victim should not be forced to bear the financial burden of a crash that was caused by another driver. It may seem as if you are “attacking” someone who died as a result of a traffic accident if you file an accident claim; however, you are only filing a claim to receive compensation you are entitled to receive under California’s personal injury laws.
Your accident claim may include compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Travel expenses
- Over-the-counter medications
- Long-term medical care and/or personal care
In addition to compensation for financial damages, you are entitled to receive compensation for mental anguish, emotional stress, and physical pain. Receiving compensation for your injuries is nothing to feel bad about. We have automobile insurance for this very reason. While you may feel sad for the family of the other driver, you and your family must go on and you deserve to be compensated for your losses.
Call Our Sacramento Accident Attorney For More Information
If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision, contact our office to discuss filing an accident claim against the other driver’s insurance company. In most cases, we do not charge any fees unless and until we recover compensation on your behalf. Please do not wait to contact our office. You have a limited time frame to file an accident claim. Once the deadline for filing an accident claim expires, you will be unable to recover compensation for your losses.
For more information about filing an accident claim and your rights under California’s personal injury laws, call the Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 or chat with a representative on our website to schedule a free case evaluation.
