California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
CBS Los Angeles News reported that a woman was killed by a metro bus while waiting at the bus stop. The Los Angeles Bus Accident occurred in the early morning around 12:20 a.m. The woman was identified as Heather Kirkorowicz, who was 41-years-old.
Police are currently investigating what caused the accident. Initial reports suggest that Kirkorowicz may have been hit as she was trying to flag down the bus. It appears that she may have stepped off the curb and into the street as the bus approached, which resulted in her being hit. The bus driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the police after the incident.
Bus accidents are always frightening. Because of the size, force and momentum of a bus, occupants of vehicles or pedestrians hit by a bus frequently sustain catastrophic injuries, including fatalities. A bus accident will generally always involve an in-depth investigation to determine what caused the accident. Luckily, many buses are equipped with video cameras that can be useful in determining what happened.
In this case, it will be important to establish what caused the death of Ms. Kirkorowicz. While the initial report states investigators believe she stepped out into the road, this may not be exactly what happened. If she was instead hit due to something the bus driver did, her family would have cause to bring a wrongful death claim in her behalf. There could be many reasons why the victim was hit, for example the bus driver could have been too tired because it was the early morning or the bus driver could have been distracted or the bus could have had faulty parts such as bad breaks, preventing the driver from stopping.
When the bus driver is a fault for a bus accident personal injury or wrongful death, the Bus accident victims or their families in the case of a wrongful death, have a right to seek against the bus drivers and their companies. If the bus is owned by the government, they can still be held responsible, though there are specific requirements to bring a claim. Discovering why the accident occurred will help determine who is the responsible party—then the family can bring the claim and get damages from that party.
Wrongful death damages certainly can never take away the pain of losing a loved one unexpectedly, such as in this tragic bus accident. But the damages received through a wrongful death claim can help surviving family members financially as damages can be awarded to cover medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, loss earnings, and more.
Bus accidents can be truly traumatizing because of how serious the consequences can be. If you have lost a loved one in a bus accident, calling the right Los Angeles wrongful death attorney can help you obtain the justice and monetary compensation you and your family deserve. The attorneys at Walch Law are willing to assist you with a wrongful death claim and will meet with you for a free consultation to go over your case. To arrange your consultation, call us today at 866-465-8792.