Kern County Coroner’s Office identified two victims of a fatal accident in California City as 68-year-old Perla Bella Marshall and 76-year-old Jack Watson Marshall Jr.
On October 24th, California City Police officers received a report of a traffic collision between a tractor-trailer semi truck and a small SUV. When officers arrived on the scene they found a Subaru Outback pinned underneath the semi-truck trailer, both the driver and passenger of the Outback were declared dead on the scene.
According to the preliminary investigation, witness statements and physical evidence showed that the semi was backing into the parking lot of a Family Dollar store to make a delivery when the Outback, traveling westbound on California City Boulevard, crashed into the left side of the trailer.
At this point of the investigation, it does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident, though the California City Police Department is continuing to look into the collision, urging anyone with more information on this collision to contact them.
Why Collisions Between Semi-Trucks and Smaller Cars are So Dangerous
Collisions involving semi-trucks and smaller vehicles, such as SUVs or sedans, are often catastrophic due to the significant differences in size, weight, and structure between the two types of vehicles. Semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded with cargo, while the average SUV tends to weigh only around 4,000 pounds. This disparity makes smaller vehicles particularly vulnerable during crashes, increasing the likelihood of severe damages and fatalities.
“One of the most dangerous scenarios is when a smaller vehicle collides with the side of a semi-truck trailer, like what happened in this accident,” says managing partner and attorney Gerald Singleton of Singleton Schreiber, “these side-impact collisions, referred to as ‘underride accidents’, occur when the smaller vehicle slides under the trailer, which can crush the top of the vehicle causing devastating injuries to its occupants.
This accident is a devastating reminder of the importance of underride guards on semi-trucks and heightened driver awareness. Our hearts go out to the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic accident.”
Legal Options Families Who Have Lost Loved Ones In Underride Accidents
The loss of a loved one in an underride accident is a devastating experience, leaving families grappling with emotional pain and financial hardships. While no legal action can fully erase the tragedy, pursuing a claim can help hold negligent parties accountable and provide compensation to ease the financial burdens.
Families may be able to file the following types of claims:
- Wrongful death – this may be filed against the parties whose negligence contributed to the accident. In cases involving underride accidents, this could include the trucking company, truck driver, or even manufacturers of the trailer if safety equipment, like underride guards, was missing or defective.
- Product liability – if the design or maintenance of the truck or trailer played a role in the accident. For example, poorly designed or inadequate underride guards might fail to prevent a smaller vehicle from sliding under the trailer.
Filing these claims may allow families who have lost their loved ones to obtain compensation for their losses such as:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical bills from live-saving treatment their loved one(s) received before they died
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of financial support
- And more
If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident with a semi-truck or an underride accident, contact Singleton Schreiber today to learn more about how we may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call (619) 771-3473 or email us info@singletonschreiber.com today to schedule your free consultation.
