A 78-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a dump truck in Lafayette, California on June 17, 2014 at approximately 1:15 p.m. The Contra Costa County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Maria White of Pleasant Hill.

The accident occurred near the intersection of El Nido Ranch Road and Happy Valley Road, near Bentley Middle School. Preliminary reports state that Ms. White was crossing in a marked crosswalk; the reason the truck driver struck her remains under investigation.

El Nido Ranch Road runs parallel to Highway 24, and is a predominantly residential road that runs between Lafayette and Orinda. Morning commuters have been known to use the frontage road during heavy traffic back-ups emanating from the Caldecott Tunnel.

Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook has 35 years of experience in handling wrongful death cases in the Bay Area, including numerous verdicts and settlements for wrongful deaths of pedestrians caused by commercial vehicles. For example, Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook assisted the families of a U.C. Berkeley professor killed by a water delivery truck, and a Benicia family whose son was killed by a garbage truck, both resulting in 7-figure settlements in wrongful death compensation. While a wrongful death case cannot undo the tragic consequences of an accident, they can offer loved ones financial compensation for the loss, bring a semblance of justice for the careless acts of others, and enforce safety training and regualtions of drivers of large commercial vehicles.

Source: SFGate, "Woman Killed by Dump Truck in Lafayette ID'd," Henry Lee, June 18, 2014.