A solo vehicular accident resulting in wrongful death. Case was based upon highway design defect. On May 25, 1999, plaintiffs’ decedent, Kenneth Diekmann, Sr., drove an armored van southbound on the Antelope Valley 14 Freeway to deliver money to “ATMs” in the area. En route to his last stop of the day, Mr. Diekmann entered a construction area where defendant Caltrans was adding carpool lanes just south of the Escondido Canyon on-ramp, in the rural area of Agua Dulce. Mr. Diekmann’s van failed to negotiate a curve and left the freeway at a place where the State had failed to place guard rails. Guard rails were sorely needed – Mr. Diekmann’s van went over the lip of a steep slope, sailed through the air for about 75 feet, and hit a dirt embankment head-on. The front of Mr. Diekmann’s van crushed to about 11 inches wide; of course, he died at impact.
Train Derailments: Understanding the Causes and Consequences
Train derailments can be frightening and devastating events. When a multi-ton locomotive leaves its tracks...
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