Yoshiko Hirooka, 22, and Saya Sonoda, 20, killed, and Maki Tagawa, 22, and Aimi Hayashi, 19, injured in car accident on California Route 111 near Palm Springs, CA

A female Japanese student studying at Central Washington University was killed in a car accident in southern California on Saturday. Three other female students in the vehicle sustained injuries. Yoshiko Hirooka, 22, was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Calif., where she died from to her injuries. It is not yet known who was the driver at the time of the crash, or whether the vehicle occupants were wearing seat belts. At about 1:48 p.m. Saturday, the driver and the three passengers were driving southbound on California Route 111 about 60 miles north of the Mexican border. The report said the 2012 Toyota Corolla traveled off the paved road edge, overturned, and rolled several times; some of the passengers were ejected from the vehicle. Maki Tagawa, 22, Saya Sonoda, 20, and Aimi Hayashi, 19, were also taken to Desert Regional with major injuries. How can a lawyer help with an auto accident claim? First, having a lawyer on your side levels the playing field.  The person who caused the accident is required to immediately turn the case over to his or her insurance company.  The insurance company uses adjusters and lawyers who are specifically trained to deny or reduce your claim.  This may include denying compensation to family members who are entitled to receive benefits for loss of companionship. Learn more here about what a lawyer does in auto accident cases.