Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
This accident was unusual, as it was a single vehicle 18-wheeler crash. It cost the trucker his life.
This 18-wheeler accident happened on I-95 in Oklahoma. The trucker was hauling equipment for country and western singer Carrie Underwood when his vehicle veered to the left shoulder and scraped along 400 feet of guardrail. During the impact, the fuel tank was torn open, igniting the diesel as it spilled. The flames consumed the driver side of the bus he was hauling, as his truck slammed into a bridge abutment.
The abutment was located right where the I-95 passes over another road. At that point, the trailer tumbled over the embankment and landed on the median of the road under the abutment, blocking both southbound lanes.
The driver, in his late 40s was charred beyond recognition and had to be identified through the use of dental records. Miss Underwood was thoughtful enough to sing a song at her performance that night in tribute to the trucker.
This was an awful accident, one that many eyewitnesses will recall with horror. It seemed to happen in slow motion, and while many onlookers could see what was happening, there was no way they could help the trucker as he burned to death. The chain of events that led the trucker to veer suddenly to the left has not been identified and there will be a full investigation into the circumstances.
Driving a big rig is not an easy job, nor does it traditionally pay that well given the economy of the nation today. Truckers drive long hours, have shorter breaks, are on very short turnaround times, and under enormous pressure to get their loads to their destination. This accident could have happened for a number of reasons ranging from a blown tire to a load that suddenly shifted, or from driver fatigue to a mechanical failure of some sort that caused him to veer left suddenly.
Unfortunately, with the number of big rigs on the roads these days, the number of accidents has shot up to seemingly keep deadly pace. Unsafe rig driving has become even more of an issue with more accidents involving oversize loads, improperly maintained trucks and driver error. Since the trucking industry is deregulated, and the pressure to deliver products is so high, truckers pull out all the stops to get the job done. Sadly, one in every eight highway deaths is attributed to a truck collision. Furthermore, if you take a look at the federal crash statistics, they reveal that just about 20% of 18-wheeler wrecks are because the trucker was speeding.
If you have been in an 18-wheeler accident, it’s very important to talk to an Atlanta personal injury lawyer who has experience in this area of law. While there are laws, rule and regulations to protect motorists from negligent truck drivers and their employers, the plaintiff needs to be able to prove it. You can’t do that without the help of a skilled Atlanta personal injury lawyer.
Tim Anderson works with Atlanta Personal Injury attorney, Stephen M. Ozcomert. The firm specializes in personal injury, malpractice, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death. To learn more about Atlanta personal injury lawyer, Stephen M. Ozcomert, visit Ozcomert.com.