The death of a California Department of Transportation worker on Monday prompted authorities to take workers off duty. Monday’s accident resulted in the third fatality of a Caltran employee in 48 days, typically only three fatalities occur in a year.
Around 9am on Monday morning, a white Cadillac struck Caltran employee, Richard Gonzales, 52, while he was cleaning up road debris. The accident occurred outside San Diego, which is in District 11, where two other Caltran employees lost their lives.
On May 4, Stephen Palmer Jr., 64, was stuck by a trolley in National City near San Diego. Then on June 7, Jaime Obeso, 53, was killed by a motorist. Car collisions take the lives thousands of people every year and accident lawyers fight to make sure those left behind are taken care of.
In 87 years, 178 Caltran employees have lost their lives to inattentive drivers. Like California, most states require motorists to slow down and change lanes to ensure the safety of workers who repair and clean the nation’s roads.
Inattentive or reckless driving by a motorist can injure or kill another person. Injuries can be mild to severe, sometimes causing temporary or permanent disability. The high cost of medical care along with the loss of income may make it necessary for the injured to hire an accident attorney to obtain compensation for their pain or suffering.
Those who lose their lives because of a negligent driver may leave behind people who rely on them for support. An accident lawyer can gain compensation for the loved ones left after a tragic accident.
