Motorcycle crash kills California man

According to the California Highway Patrol, an accident between a motorcycle and a pickup truck resulted in the death of a 63-year-old Cottonwood man. The fatal motorcycle accident occurred in Happy Valley on the night of March 24.

A driver in a Ford F-350 was headed westbound at an undetermined speed on Palm Avenue when he attempted to turn left into a residential driveway. The truck allegedly turned into the pathway of an oncoming motorcycle, causing the collision. The rider was thrown from his motorcycle, according to officers with the CHP.

The driver was reported by police to be under the influence of alcohol when the collision occurred. Officers took him into custody on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence causing injury. Police will be requesting the charges to be filed by the Shasta County District Attorney"s office as their investigation progresses.

The accident described in this article can be fairly common as drivers can sometimes have a difficult time judging an oncoming vehicle"s distance when making a left turn. Motorcycles have a smaller profile than motor vehicles, which makes their distance more difficult to judge. Lastly, impaired drivers have slower reaction times than non-impaired drivers. These factors can increase the odds for a serious accident.

If the police report concludes that the driver was intoxicated at the time of a fatal accident, the victim"s family may have substantial grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver. A personal injury lawyer might assess the accident report and answer questions regarding California personal injury law.

Many lawsuits can be resolved out of court through negotiation with the at-fault driver and his or her insurer. However, there are some instances in which a case may move into the litigation phase in civil court. This can happen when an insurer repeatedly denies a legitimate claim or is not willing to pay a fair settlement. It may also be necessary to litigate the case in civil court if the plaintiffs want to pursue exemplary damages.

Source: The Redding Record-Searchlight, "UPDATED: One dead in Happy Valley car vs. motorcycle crash," March 24, 2014