A truck accident involving multiple vehicles which killed one person in southern Virginia has led to two lawsuits.
Plaintiffs claim truck drivers were negligent and ignored fog warnings
An accident last year on Interstate 77 involving multiple vehicles has led to two lawsuits being filed against the trucking companies involved in the wreck, according to the Athens Messenger. The crash, which occurred near the North Carolina state line at Fancy Gap, led to the death of an Ohio man, and injuries to other drivers and passengers. Those injured, as well as the deceased man's son, are suing the two trucking companies involved in the crash because they claim the truck drivers were driving negligently and failed to heed weather warnings about fog in the area.
Multi-vehicle crash
The crash occurred last year when a semi-truck rear-ended another semi-truck, causing the truck in front to jackknife and block oncoming traffic. A car crashed into the jackknifed truck, killing the driver and seriously injuring the passenger. A motorcyclist also skidded under one of the trucks, resulting in serious injuries to that motorcyclist. In total, the crash involved two semi-trucks, three cars, and the one motorcycle, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.
According to the lawsuit filed by the deceased man's son and the passenger who was in the car with him, the semi-truck that was driving in front stopped suddenly and without warning and the truck that was behind was following the first truck too closely, thus leading to the tragic accident. The lawsuit also claims that both truck drivers failed to abide by traffic signs warning of dense fog in the area.
Related lawsuit
In addition to the lawsuit filed by the deceased man's son and the passenger, the motorcyclist has filed a separate lawsuit against the two trucking companies. The motorcyclist's lawsuit is seeking $100,000 in damages related to both the emotional and physical pain and stress stemming from the crash, as well as for lost income, medical expenses, and property damage.
Truck accident lawsuits
As this case shows, truck accidents can be particularly devastating due to the large size of the vehicles in involved. Furthermore, many truckers operate on tight schedules that may encourage them to drive when they are fatigued. When an accident does occur, the responsibility for the accident may not only rest with the drivers themselves, but also with the trucking companies.
Trucking companies and their insurers, however, are often quick to downplay their own liability in a truck accident. For this reason, it is vital for anybody who has been injured in a truck accident to contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away. A qualified attorney can help focus on the legal implications of the accident, including gathering evidence as soon after the accident as possible, so that victims can focus on recovering from their injuries.
