The Clark County coroner’s office is saddened and dismayed to report that a recent fatal car accident that happened on January 26th may have been the result of a successful suicide attempt. The victim, 42-year-old Cheri L. Trucinski, was reportedly driving with a 46-year-old male passenger and a minor under the age of 18, who was in the backseat.

At around 7:20 P.M., the car approached the 3800 block of Hollywood Boulevard. It remains unclear if there were any conversations or arguments happening inside the vehicle, but what we do know is that the driver suddenly and intentionally swerved off the road and into a K-barrier. She continued to barrel forward, striking several more K-barriers along the way. After striking one barrier at a specific angle, the entire car started to flip over.

After rolling over several times, the car eventually came to a stop in the desert.

Emergency medical responders were called out to the scene of the accident. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. Later, a coroner confirmed the victim’s cause of death was blunt force trauma. The 46-year-old male was treated at the scene with minor injuries, but the minor child suffered “substantial” injuries. Both passengers were taken to the Sunrise Hospital to recover.

Legal Recourse After a Serious Las Vegas Car Accident

The loss of life is always tragic, especially when the victim is struggling to the point that they attempt suicide. Unfortunately, as was the case in the incident above, these attempts aren’t always directed only at the individual who is suffering mentally. It can also harm other bystanders or people nearby.

When that happens, is there any financial or legal recourse for the surviving victims?

It might be possible for the injured passengers to file for financial and legal recourse by pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the deceased’s estate. This isn’t always a possibility, but if the deceased’s estate is substantial enough, then it could be feasible for the injured victims to file for compensation in the form of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

The case would work in a similar way that it would if the deceased were still alive to pay off the settlement, with the only difference being that the settlement award will have to stem from the person’s estate.

If the person’s estate doesn’t have enough money to cover the losses associated with the claim, then that doesn’t leave the injured person without options. It might still be possible to get some compensation from the injured person’s own underinsured or uninsured motorist insurance coverage. This type of coverage is only possible, though, if the injured person already had an insurance policy that covered uninsured or underinsured accidents.

If you’re in a similar situation and you’re not sure where to turn for compensation, then your best course of action may be to speak with a personal injury lawyer about your options. Our team is prepared to help you identify your options.

Schedule a meeting with us now to get started on your claim for compensation.