A recent accident that took place on a Los Angeles freeway resulted in a semi-truck engulfed in flames and other vehicles colliding with debris from the accident. The truck accident occurred in the morning hours of Tuesday, January 15. According to reports, the driver of the semi said his brakes locked causing him to crash into the center divider on the freeway. After the collision, the commercial motor vehicle became engulfed in flames.
A vehicle that was traveling in the opposite direction of the truck was unable to avoid hitting some of the debris from the accident. Thankfully the driver was not injured and colliding with the debris only resulted in minor damage to his vehicle.
At first glance, this accident may seem like an unavoidable malfunction of machinery. However, that is not always the case. It is always important that accidents involving big rigs or other types of commercial motor vehicles are thoroughly investigated. The drivers of these vehicles and their employers are held to higher standards of care under federal law and it is important that they abide by these regulations.
When a personal injury attorney and their team investigate an accident such as this one, there are numerous areas where they may be looking for negligence or lack of care. Some of these areas include improper commercial truck maintenance, defective auto parts, equipment failure and violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Commercial trucking maintenance is an essential element of avoiding accidents and injuries on the highway.
Thankfully no one was injured in this accident but that is not always the case. However, when a truck collision results in injuries, if either the truck driver or their employer were negligent, the injured party may be entitled to compensation. This recovery usually comes in the form of monetary compensation and may cover medical bills, lost wages, death expenses or other unexpected financial obligations that arose as a result of a lack of care. An injured party should be aware of their rights.
Source: ABC7, “Big rig crash shuts 5 Freeway in Elysian Park,” Christina Salvo, Jan. 15, 2013
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