Recently, a crash involving three vehicles occured in Perris, tragically resulting in two deaths. According to the Press Enterprise, the accident occurred around 10 o'clock at night--a “Mercedes drove through a red light and hit a Dodge Durango making a turn. The Durango then struck a Honda Accord.”

A 75 year-old woman and a young 8 year-old girl were in the Dodge Durango. Sadly, both were pronounced dead at the scene. Several others suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. Now, police are trying to determine the exact cause of the crash--as of now, it is believed that the Mercedes driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which led to the driver running the red light and causing the accident. If it is confirmed that the Mercedes driver did cause the accident, the family members of those killed in the accident can bring a wrongful death claim against that driver.

Perris Wrongful Death Claims

When a driver causes a car accident that results in the death of another person due to their own negligence or intentional reckless acts, that driver is legally liable to the family members of the victim. Those family members can bring a wrongful death claim against the driver to be compensated for their terrible, and sudden, loss.

A wrongful death claim requires showing that the negligence of another caused the death of your loved one. As in this case, showing that the driver was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can satisfy that requirement. No one should have to lose a family member because another person chose to drive under the influence, and if this does happen, they deserve compensation.

A wrongful death claim is how a family obtains this compensation. Certainly nothing can ever truly compensate for the loss of a loved one, but the recovery obtained through a wrongful death claim can help ease the financial burdens the family may face. A family can receive compensation for:

• Funeral and burial costs
• Any medical expenses incurred before the passing of their loved one
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Loss of love, companionship, comfort and support

The party responsible for the accident, also called the defendant, will be required to cover these legal damages owed to the family. This is often paid out by the defendant's insurance company or their private assets. Also, it is important to remember that just because a driver faces a criminal consequence for their action to drive while intoxicated, it does not mean the driver cannot face civil consequences as well for as personal injury claim. The civil liability to pay for the wrongful death damages of anyone killed in an accident that driver caused, is in addition to any criminal charges the driver is facing.

How a Perris Wrongful Death Attorney Can Help

If you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Perris, or anywhere in Southern California, reach out to the experienced Perris wrongful death attorneys at the Kann California Law Group. Losing a loved one can take a serious emotional and financial toll on your life. As you focus on caring for yourself and your family, our attorneys can focus on getting you the compensation you deserve. From investigating your claim, to helping show the other driver was at fault, to getting you the financial recovery you are entitled to, our attorneys can help. We can talk about your situation during a free case consultation. You can call us anytime at (888) 744-7730 or contact us through our online contact form to schedule your free consultation today.