Santa Clarita Pedestrian Death Ruled an “Accident”, No Criminal Charges to Be Filed – Can Knoxville Pedestrian Accident Victims Still Recover Compensation Even if There Has Been No Crime?
A tragic and unfortunate pedestrian accident in Santa Clarita has been determined by investigators to have been an “accident,” and some Santa Clarita residents are wondering if there is still any way that Santa Clarita families can get justice under California civil personal injury laws, even if no crime has been found to have been committed. According to local news reports, on Monday, February 10, 23-year-old Nelson Vides, of Santa Clarita, was killed while he was walking home from a bar. News reports indicate that eyewitness accounts of the accident state that, “Vides was seen leaving The Shot Exchange, a local bar on the 26800 block of Bouquet Canyon Road near Festividad Drive, before walking into traffic.” Vides was said to have then been hit by two vehicles, according to witnesses. The L.A. County Medical Examiner reported that Vides was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, and Deputy Robert Jense of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station indicated that “the collision was not being investigated as a criminal inquiry, and no arrests were made.”
No Criminal Inquiry, No Arrests: Any Justice for Santa Clarita Families Who Have Lost Loved Ones to Fatal Pedestrian Accidents?
Although it appears from the accounts of eyewitnesses and the investigators on the case that Nelson Vides was killed as a result of an “accident,” and not criminal activity, and that Nelson Vides had walked into traffic, the case raises important questions about the rights and options that Santa Clarita families have under California personal injury laws, even if no person is charged with a crime for the death of their loved one. The truth is that under California personal injury laws, certain close family members of those who have been killed in fatal pedestrian accidents due to another driver or party’s negligence, may file a claim in court against the person or parties responsible for the accident. There is no requirement that criminal charges have first been made in the case. These are called “wrongful death” claims, and they are brought under different civil standards than criminal cases. There is a limited time to file a wrongful death claim in Santa Clarita, so it is best to speak with an experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer as soon as possible about your case.
Finding a Santa Clarita Personal Injury Lawyer to Fight for You
If your loved one was killed in a serious pedestrian accident in Santa Clarita and you need legal help getting justice for your unimaginable loss, contact the experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyers at the Trevino Law Firm. The experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyers at the Trevino Law Firm are here to help the families of those who have been tragically killed by negligent drivers get justice. Do not hesitate to speak to an experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer about your case today. Contact the Trevino Law Firm and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.
Source:
signalscv.com/2025/02/fatal-pedestrian-involved-collision-ruled-an-accident/
