Recently, a woman in her mid-forties got up early to go cover a shift for a sick coworker at 5 a.m. They were workers in the Bay Bridge toll booths near Alameda. She had been employed by Caltrans for over a decade, but that morning would be the last time her husband and young daughter saw her alive.
The reason? A man in his early thirties was driving a box truck after (as he later acknowledged to paramedics) using both marijuana and alcohol. Under the influence of these chemicals, he crashed the truck into the toll booth where the woman was working just minutes after she began her early morning shift. The driver was thrown from the truck and was hospitalized for his injuries; several other cars were caught up in the accident as well, and five people taken to the hospital with a range of injuries.
The woman working the toll booth, however, was killed in the fatal accident. Her surviving family members were attempting to raise funds online to cover her funeral expenses, as well as to support themselves.
The loss of a loved one in a senseless accident involving a drunk or otherwise negligent driver is a traumatic time for family members. The costs of a funeral and related expenses, as well as a family’s financial support if the deceased earned an income, are difficult things to try to manage and plan for while emotions run high. While families may feel as if they should be entitled to compensation, they may not know where or how to begin the process.
For these reasons, may turn to a legal professional with questions about a wrongful death lawsuit. The compensation obtained through such an action can help protect a family’s financial foundation while they help care for each other during a painful time.
Source: CBS SF Bay Area, “Manslaughter, DUI Charges In Deadly Bay Bridge Toll Plaza Crash,” Dec. 12, 2017