A woman was fatally injured on Interstate 805 in San Diego after being hit by a van.

California – October 23, 2022

A 34-year-old woman from Torrance, California, was fatally injured Sunday night after being hit by a van on northbound Interstate 805 in the Otay Mesa West area. California Highway Patrol officers and San Diego Fire-Rescue were dispatched to the northbound lanes of Interstate 805 around 8 p.m. following reports of a crash just south of Palm Avenue in the Otay Mesa West area of San Diego, according to CHP. First responders discovered a pedestrian on the freeway who was pronounced dead at the scene. A 51-year-old woman who was driving a Toyota van is believed to have hit the pedestrian who was on the interstate. The driver was not injured and believed to be free from the influence of drugs or alcohol. The accident is being investigated. Surviving loved ones of accident victims who are hit by a car and suffer fatal injury may wonder: “Where can I find attorneys near me?” when they require compensation to pay unexpected funeral and burial expenses and address any negative impacts to surviving family’s livelihood. If distracted driving can be proven, there may be a case for negligence supported by California cell phone distracted driving laws.

Distracted driving.

Driver distractions include eating, grooming, tending to small children, reaching for objects, tampering with automobile touchscreens, and any other task that involves a reduction of attention to the act of safe driving. California has had distracted driving laws in place for over ten years now and those laws support damage claims when a driver’s use of a cell phone plays a significant role in a vehicle accident. The 2016 Assembly Bill 1785 was meant to discourage drivers from holding an electronic device while operating a vehicle.

Wrongful death.

A wrongful death legal action can be brought by loved ones when a person dies because of the negligent, reckless, or deliberate act of another. Damages in these lawsuits can include:

Medical bills and expenses for treatment of the injury up until the time of death,
Funeral and burial expenses,
Compensation for present and future lost wages,
Compensation for the pain and suffering of the victim from the date of injury,
Punitive damages that are intended to punish the person who caused the death.

In personal injury cases, the recovery of damages is contingent on proving another individual, or entity was the cause of the injury and owed a duty of care to the victim. If a California wrongful death attorney is successful, an insurance settlement claim or jury award will address the losses experienced by surviving loved ones caused by the fatal accident.

Hire an attorney.

Talk to an attorney as soon as possible after a car crash involving pedestrian death, as they are familiar with California accident laws. The Law Offices of Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates will take action to build a winning personal injury case against the negligent driver. California law requires that drivers have a way to cover costs related to damages, or injuries they have caused in a car accident and legal counsel can communicate with insurance companies on a victim’s behalf to secure damage compensation for injuries.

Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates, a Professional Law Corporation

501 West Broadway, Suite 1650

San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: 619-233-8021

Fax: 619-233-3730

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