California Highway Patrol spokesman Matt Pinheiro said Joshua Burke, 21, of Garden Grove was driving a 2004 GMC utility truck westbound in the fast lane west of Box Car Road, about 6 1/2 miles east of Los Banos, at 6:59 a.m. when the truck veered to the right and hit a guard rail. Pinheiro said the truck went into the air and landed on the side of an irrigation canal.

Pinheiro said Burke and his two passengers, Eric Rodriguez, 21, of Long Beach and a 35-year-old man from Murietta, were trapped in the truck, which caught fire in its engine compartment after the crash. The 35-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was being withheld by law enforcement until his family is notified.

Pinheiro said Burke was airlifted to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto and Rodriguez was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. Both men were suffering from major injuries, including burns on various parts of their bodies.

Cause of the Highway 152 Crash

As  passengers, the deceased likely could have done nothing to prevent this fatal  collision that ultimately took their lives. The California Highway Patrol  will surely look at the speed of the vehicle, witness reports, and other factors to determine what occurred and who was responsible. Collisions such as this one can have countless causes, including unsafe passing maneuvers, swerving to avoid an object in the road, falling asleep at the wheel, driving under the influence, or driver distraction.

Automobile Collisions and Wrongful Death Liability

While the accident April 29 remains under investigation, the  family members of the victim would be well-advised to seek immediate consultation from an experienced wrongful death lawyer. An experienced attorney can advise the victims of their legal rights and decide the best course of action in recovering the maximum compensation for their injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Also, in unique and complex situations such as this one, an attorney can hire a highly skilled independent investigator to reconstruct the scene of the accident.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is a prominent and highly respected law firm in California and the United States.  Gary A Kessler has been serving the people as an experienced wrongful death attorney for over twenty-five years dedicated and committed to obtaining the best results for his clients in each and every case.  Through experience and education, our firm is able to expertly evaluate complex medical injuries and pursue wrongful death claims.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler has a sustaining record of outstanding results for their client’s wrongful death cases throughout California.  Our firm specializes in difficult automobile vs. tractor-trailer rig(s), collision cases, uninsured motorists cases, rollover accident cases, bus and train collision litigation, defective product liability litigation, boating collision death cases, boating capsizing and drowning cases, backyard pool drownings, Jacuzzi spa drownings, association and community pool drownings, accidental shootings, tractor-trailer and commercial vehicle fatality, fuel tank fire cases and wrongful death cases.

The term “wrongful death” is defined as the death of an individual as a result of the negligence, carelessness, intentional act of another individual, corporation, company or entity.  Filing a proper wrongful death claim is extremely difficult and complex for families because they are not only dealing with their grief over the death of a beloved family member, but also complex issues of compensation as well.  Wrongful death claims are usually sought after by relatives, siblings, or members of the decedent’s estate who have lost a considerable amount of money as well as loss of support and grief due to the wrongful death of the decedent.

In most states, if the death of a relative or spouse was caused by the wrongful act of another, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party or parties.  In order to file a wrongful death claim, you must be able to prove that you will experience severe future emotional and financial hardship because of the loss of the death of a relative, family member or spouse.