SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – One Marine was injured and another died Thursday night in an accident on Interstate 8 west of Jacumba. The California Highway Patrol said the two were traveling in a 2007 Chevrolet Uplander with U.S. government license plates when the driver failed to maintain the vehicle on the road. The 18-year-old man drove through a center divide and down a 50 foot embankment just before 11 p.m. according to CHP Officer Brian Pennings.

The vehicle hit several rocks and came to rest on its roof. The driver was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The right-front passenger, a 21-year-old man was resuscitated at the scene and taken by medical helicopter to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Both men were wearing seatbelts and neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor. Pennings said the vehicle was traveling about 70 miles per hour at the time of the accident.

When an innocent party is killed in an accident caused by a reckless or negligent party, the family members of the person killed may be able to recover in a wrongful death case. Wrongful death awards can help to alleviate some of the unexpected costs associated with the unexpected loss of a loved one.

If you would like to speak with a qualified and compassionate wrongful death attorney, contact the lawyers at Berman & Riedel, LLP in San Diego, California. Our legal team is happy to set up a case consultation with you free of charge. You may also visit the main firm website at www.bermanlawyers.com to learn more about our lawyers and plaintiff’s law.