One Person Killed on 5 Freeway Near Los Feliz
LOS ANGELES, CA — One person died and another suffered major injuries Saturday morning in a two-vehicle crash on the northbound 5 Freeway near the Los Feliz Boulevard off-ramp, according to the California Highway Patrol. If this crash affected your family, J&Y Law can explain your legal options at no cost. Call (877) 735-7035 for a free consultation.
Fatal Collision on the 5 Freeway Near Los Feliz
The crash occurred at 8:25 a.m. Saturday, August 15, on the northbound freeway at the Los Feliz Boulevard off-ramp, CHP said. A Toyota Corolla sedan was driving north in the No. 4 lane when it veered into the right shoulder. The driver then steered back across the lanes and struck the concrete center divider, according to a CHP news release. After hitting the divider, the driver lost control of the Corolla and struck a Honda Pilot SUV, pushing both vehicles onto the right shoulder, where the Corolla then struck a concrete wall.
Firefighters extracted three people from one of the vehicles at the scene, and one person was pronounced dead there. Paramedics took a second person to a hospital with major injuries. CHP has not said which vehicle the deceased or the injured survivor was riding in.
The CHP issued a Sigalert at 9:03 a.m., closing the No. 3 and No. 4 lanes of the northbound freeway at the Los Feliz Boulevard off-ramp for about two hours while officers investigated and cleared the scene.
As of this writing, CHP has not released the identity of the person who died and has not determined what caused the Corolla to veer off course. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the CHP’s Central Los Angeles office at 213-815-2000.
For a free legal consultation, call (877) 735-7035
What Happens After a Fatal Freeway Crash in California
A fatal freeway crash raises two separate legal questions: who is legally responsible, and who has the right to hold them accountable.
Under California Civil Code Section 1714, every driver owes other drivers a duty to use reasonable care behind the wheel. When a driver breaches that duty and causes a fatal crash, the surviving family members may have grounds for a wrongful death claim. California follows a pure comparative fault system, meaning more than one driver can share responsibility for a single crash. A family can still recover compensation even if the CHP investigation finds that more than one party contributed to the collision.
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60 sets out who has the legal right to bring a wrongful death claim. In most cases, that includes the decedent’s surviving spouse, domestic partner, and children. If the decedent had no spouse or children, other relatives who would inherit under California’s intestate succession laws, including parents and siblings, may qualify.
Families generally have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit in California, under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. Missing that deadline can permanently bar the claim. It helps to speak with an attorney early, even while the CHP investigation is still open. A Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer at J&Y Law can start that conversation with you at no cost.
Wrongful death damages in California can include:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Medical expenses tied to the crash
- The financial support the deceased would have provided
- The loss of the deceased’s companionship and guidance
If You Were Hurt in the Crash
The passenger who survived this crash, and anyone injured in a similar freeway collision, faces separate legal deadlines and questions about which insurance policy applies. A 5 Freeway accident lawyer at J&Y Law can review the CHP report once it’s released, identify every insurance policy that may cover your losses, and handle communications with the insurance companies while you focus on recovering.
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Contact J&Y Law
J&Y Law has represented families across Los Angeles after fatal collisions on the 5 Freeway and other Southern California highways, including a recent fatal crash near Griffith Park on the same stretch of freeway. If your family lost a loved one or you were injured in this crash, call (877) 735-7035 for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.
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