The California Highway Patrol responded to an accident near Pacoima and Lake View Terrace in the San Fernando Valley on April 17, and one person died in the crash that occurred around 6:40 a.m. near the 118 and 210 Freeway interchange at Foothill Boulevard and Paxton Street. The wreck took place when a big rig veered onto an eastbound 210 Freeway embankment after the driver lost control of the large truck.

The semi went careening down the embankment towards the off-ramp where a passenger vehicle and an SUV were stopped and waiting to make turns. The big rig hit these vehicles then broadsided a pickup truck, and the first vehicles were pushed into the intersection while the pickup was pushed into a dump truck.

The driver of the pickup truck was a 32-year-old Sylmar man, and he died while stuck in the pickup for several hours after the accident. A passenger in the pickup truck suffered injuries along with four others, and one person had minor injuries while four people were taken to nearby hospitals in critical condition. The driver of the big rig reportedly lost control of his vehicle due to a coughing attack, and authorities are investigating the accident but do not believe that impaired or distracted driving were factors.

While the cause of this accident remains unclear, many motor vehicle collisions are caused by the negligence of a driver. A person who is injured in such a crash can pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party and seek the recovery of damages that could include medical expenses and lost wages.

Source: KTLA, “1 Dead, 5 Hospitalized After Big Rigs Crashes Into Vehicles in San Fernando Valley“, Ashley Soley-Cerro, Erin Myers and Melissa , 04/17/2015