Richard Lessert, 35, and Douglas Schmitz. 58, dead when struck by train near Edgemont, South Dakota
BNSF identifies 2 railroad workers killed in South Dakota
BNSF Railway has released the names of two employees who were struck and killed by a train in South Dakota.
The railroad on Thursday identified the victims as 35-year-old gang foreman Richard Lessert and 58-year-old motor vehicle operator Douglas Schmitz. Lessert had 10 years of service with BNSF while Schmitz was employed by the railroad for 39 years.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
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