As we have discussed at length, hit and run accidents are all too common in Los Angeles. The most recent statistics put Los Angeles as the nation’s leader in hit and runs, at 20,000 cases per year. Certainly not the most prestigious honor. While the California legislature has tried to address this issue, in part, by extending the statute of limitations for hit and runs, these terrible accidents are still happening in our community. In fact, a hit and run driver recently fatally struck 19 year old young man in South Los Angeles. The man was exiting his car when he was struck by a 2013 Chevy Camaro around 7:30 p.m. The driver of the Camaro lost control, struck Arrendondo, then fled the scene of the accident in a silver BMW.
Investigators say the Chevy Camaro was a rental car and are trying to track down the woman who rented the car.
So what can the family of the hit and run victim do? The family of the young man who was killed by the hit and run driver could potentially file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver, as it is illegal to flee the scene of a car accident. In California, a “wrongful death claim” arises when an individual dies as the result of the wrongful act or negligence of another person or entity, such as a hit and run driver. It is brought by the survivors of the deceased person, and if the deceased survivor’s family is successful in bringing the claim with the help of an experienced wrongful death attorney, they can recover monetary damages for their losses, both emotional and otherwise.
Who may file a wrongful death claim in California? In California, only certain people are allowed to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a loved one. Those allowed include:
- the deceased person’s surviving spouse and children, including a putative spouse and children
- the deceased person’s domestic partner
- the deceased person’s parents, surviving siblings, or children of deceased siblings
- grandparents or lineal descendants, and/or
- individuals who were financially dependent on the deceased person at the time of his or her death
For more information on how to file a wrongful death claim against a hit and run driver, contact the aggressive Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at BIKLAW today.