Sharing the road with 18-wheelers can be unnerving at times. The sheer size and weight of these vehicles make them hard to maneuver and slow down in time to avoid an accident. When a truck driver is not paying attention or driving erratically, it can greatly increase the chances he or she may cause a serious accident. This seems to be just what happened with a recent multi-vehicle accident in Texas where truck driver negligence may have been a causal factor in the fatal wreck.
The accident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, April 19, in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 20 near Weatherford. Apparently, traffic was backed up near the 408 mile marker when the driver of a semi failed to slow down and slammed into the rear of an SUV. The resulting collision caused the SUV to strike a car in front of it, which, in turn, caused the car to hit a pickup truck in front it. The semi may have also struck the pickup, according to police.
The tractor-trailer then purportedly careened into the median where it hit the median’s cable system and overturned. Its cargo of plastic bottles were strewn across the interstate. The driver of the passenger car, a 44-year-old woman, was killed in the collision, and seven others were transported to area hospitals with injuries of unknown severity. Two more people received treatment at the accident scene, but there was no word on whether the truck driver suffered injuries.
If the evidence suggests truck driver negligence as the cause of the crash, the family of the deceased woman may elect to file a wrongful death claim against the truck driver, his or her employer, and anyone else with an ownership interest in the truck. Likewise, those injured may also elect to file personal injury suits in an attempt to recoup their damages. In either case, a Texas attorney with experience in trucking accident claims can assist the victims to pursue full compensation for their injuries and losses.