When an accident occurs on the roadways of Los Angeles, there is always the possibility that one of the parties will be held responsible for another’s injuries or, in some tragic situations, death. The party that can be held responsible and may owe compensation to others that have become injured is the party that is determined to be negligent in the causation of the accident.
When the accident is a truck crash, the situation immediately becomes a bit more complicated. Truckers and their employers know that they have a lot on the line when an 18-wheeler accident happens. Therefore, they will move quickly to begin investigating the accident and building a team for their defense. This may or may not be the action a trucking company is taking after a recent California accident involving an 18-wheeler that left one individual fatally injured.
The crash occurred shortly before 3:00 on a Wednesday morning. According to investigators the 67-year-old driver of the semi was facing west, and stopped in the center lane waiting to turn left. A 62-year-old driver in a Chevy Lumina that was traveling eastbound approached the truck and then floated to the left causing him to strike the truck.
The 62-year-old driver of the Lumina suffered serious injuries, and his life was unable to be saved. The remainder of the details is still under investigation, and anyone that knows anything further is encouraged to contact the police department.
Many may look at these facts and say that it was the driver of the Lumina’s fault that this accident occurred. Nonetheless, accidents should never be taken at face value. There are many other aspects of a collision that can play into who was negligent and at fault. Specifically, truck drivers are required to follow numerous rules covered in commercial vehicle-specific legislation, including hours of service rules, truck maintenance rules, training rules and much more. As such, it is always a good idea for those that have become a victim of a car accident, whether they are the injured party or have lost a loved one, to meet with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Source: Gazettes, “POLICE BRIEF: Man Dies In Fatal Collision With Semi,” Jonathan Van Dyke, Aug. 14, 2013.