By: William M. Berman, Managing Attorney
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – On January 15, 2009, it was reported by the San Diego Union Tribune that 34-year-old Donald Leslie Truesdail, an Ocean Beach resident and local teacher, was killed on Interstate 5 in the Barrio Logan area when he "jumped" into traffic in front of another vehicle. Early reports of the fatality accident sounded as if the incident was a successful suicide attempt. But this may not be the case.
There are now serious doubts that the death of Mr. Truesdail was an intentional suicide. Contrary to early reports, new facts surrounding the incident are surfacing that show an apparent problem existed minutes before the impact occurred. These newly learned facts, such as body damage to Mr. Truesdail’s vehicle, show that Mr. Truesdail may not have intentionally pulled off to the side of the freeway in a suicide attempt but rather only after being hit by another vehicle. These new facts suggest that Mr. Truesdail may have been abandoned on the side of the freeway after being hit by another vehicle, and was then later struck and killed while attempting to flag down another driver to gain assistance. The investigation is ongoing.
Very frequently, early media reports of fatality accidents are inaccurate. This is because such reports are extremely limited in information. In circumstances where there are not many witnesses, the real facts surrounding how the events unfolded are limited. The decedent’s perspective can not be told through words, but rather only after a most thorough forensic investigation conducted by skilled accident reconstruction experts and other scene investigators. Oftentimes, such investigations take weeks to complete, or even months.
The attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP, understand the critical importance of conducting a prompt and thorough forensic investigation to determine the real facts surrounding the cause of a fatality auto accident. Such investigation, best when completed as close in time to the incident as possible, can yield incredible evidence which can help to shape an entire legal case. The attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP, have in fact retained and worked with many prominent accident reconstruction experts to investigate and recreate how a fatality incident really occurred, which in many case have shown far different account of what truly occurred than what the news media reports or even what the local investigating authorities had concluded in their reports. Such forensic-legal work as undertaken by Berman & Riedel, LLP, has helped to build successful wrongful death cases for the families of those killed in an auto accident or other type of fatality incident.
If you or a loved one suffer an injury or loss due to the negligence of another, feel free to contact an attorney at Berman & Riedel, LLP. Berman & Riedel, LLP, is a California based plaintiffs’ civil litigation firm which focuses its practice in handling catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters including claims caused by drivers/operators of automobiles and other commercial transport vehicles, including commercial trucks, buses, trains and planes, and can be reached by calling (858) 350-8855.
William M. Berman is the Founding and Managing Partner of Berman & Riedel, LLP, a San Diego, California, based plaintiffs’ civil litigation firm which focuses its practice in handling catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters caused through the negligent or wrongful acts of others.
