Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

On June 24, 2009 the committee that controls the highway and trucking issues in the U.S. House of Representatives (the House Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit) will be reviewing the language contained in the Surface Transportation Act of 2009.

This is a prelude to having the bill passed by Congress later this year. At this point, there is no language included in the bill that would allow increases to truck size and weight. Unfortunately, it appears that Representative Michael Michaud is trying to amend the act to add language that was also included in H.R. 1799 which allowed drastic increased truck weight.

Larger trucks are the last thing we need. They don’t stop easily and tip over more frequently. Their already deficient break systems will fail if more weight is added. The heavier trucks will inflict more damage to roadways and bridges. Heavier trucks will require more fuel consumption and create higher pollution levels.

Call your member of Congress today and urge him or her to oppose any increase in the weight of tractor trailers on our highways. They are dangerous enough as it is - as the daily tragedies on the roads attest.

Continue reading "The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009" »

On June 2, 2009, Christine Osterholtz of Lakeland, Florida was heading eastbound on Interstate 4 when she fell asleep. She was traveling in the center lane and her vehicle drifted into the far right lane into the pathway of a tractor trailer being driven by Michael Dacunto of Spring Hill. The impact to the left side of the truck caused both vehicles to slide across the entire breadth of I-4 and land on top of the guardrail separating them from the oncoming traffic. The tractor trailer flipped sideways and landed on top of Christine’s car pinning her and her car completely under the truck. Luckily the both drivers were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

Continue reading "Driver Falls Asleep at the Wheel and Ends up Under a Tractor-Trailer" »

According to reports, on June 3, 2009, four construction workers were on the way to their homes in Greenville, South Carolina, when the Ford pick-up they were in veered into oncoming traffic hitting the cab of tractor trailer head on. The collision caused a third vehicle to crash into the back of the big rig which was transporting a backhoe on a lowboy trailer. The driver of the pick-up, Jesus Zamora-Barrera, and his brother Juan died at the scene. Greenville County Deputy Kent Green stated that it appeared Jesus was wearing his seatbelt, but that the point of impact appeared to be the driver’s side of the truck. The other two passengers in the pick-up were severely injured and transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Fortunately, the driver of the big rig and the third vehicle' driver both appear to be uninjured.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer versus Ford Pick-Up in Greenville, South Carolina" »

On May 20, 2009, James Bush of Smyrna, Georgia lost his life when the big rig he was driving side-swiped another 18 wheeler near mile marker 158 in Interstate 20. Mr. Bush worked for the Pepsi Cola Company and was driving westbound on I-20 when he came upon Kenneth Woodfork of Doraville, Georgia, whose truck had broken down in the emergency lane. Unfortunately, Mr. Bush hit the disabled truck and lost control of his vehicle which veered off a steep embankment and then crashed into a stand of trees. It was later determined that Mr. Bush was not wearing his seatbelt and suffered extreme blunt force trauma to his head causing his death. Fortunately Mr. Woodfork only suffered minor injuries.

Two employees were killed and a third injured in an April 22 fueling mishap at Rutland Timber and Trucking, a company near Orangeburg, South Carolina. The employees were using a homemade fuel pump powered by the truck’s battery to move diesel fuel from a storage tank to a truck - when a massive explosion was touched off. The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department and SLED (the State Law Enforcement Division) investigators have since determined that the diesel fuel contained an amount of gasoline. This cleared up one part of the investigation - diesel fuel alone is generally considered incapable of exploding. Still unanswered is how the gasoline came to be mixed with the diesel fuel. Thanks to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat for reporting. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.

Continue reading "Explosion at Orangeburg, South Carolina Trucking Company Takes the Lives of Two Employees" »

Two Holly Spring citizens barely escaped death when a dump truck driver lost control and overturned onto their Honda Civic.

Edmund Theodore Jackson, a resident of New Haven, Connecticut, was driving his dump trunk down Davis Road near Farm Pond Road when he lost control and veered off onto the right shoulder. Captain Everett Clendenin of the North Carolina Highway Patrol explained that Jackson then overcompensated and caused the truck to cross the center median into oncoming traffic where Kara Walden Benton was driving with Chad Michael Benton in a Honda Civic. Ms. Benton avoided a head-on collision by driving onto the shoulder of the road but still could not escape the dump truck which then tipped over directly on to the car. Chad Benton was able to quickly escape the vehicle before being treated at WakeMed but Ms. Benton was pinned inside the car for nearly two hours (!) before she was rescued and treated.

Continue reading "Dump Truck Tips Over Onto Honda Civic in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A tractor trailer truck exploded into flames after it veered off an I-77 overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina. The truck overturned which caused about 75 gallons of diesel fuel to spill out over the engine and ignite. The truck driver escaped certain death when two Richland County deputies and a nearby motorist pulled him to safety. The fire caused damage to one support pillar and traffic was rerouted while the safety of the overpass was assessed.

Continue reading "Truck Plummets from Interstate 77 Overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina" »

A single vehicle incident on Interstate 40 in Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed the life of the driver of a tractor-trailer on April 27. The truck and box trailer burned after coming to rest at the outside shoulder. Several brave witnesses tried to rescue the driver from the wreckage, but were unable to free him before the fire engulfed the truck. Photographs from the scene show skid marks leading up to a jackknifed tractor-trailer. This suggests the driver may have slammed on his brakes, which may have led to the trailer jackknifing into the fuel tank. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident, however. Thanks to The News & Observer and WTVD for reporting.

Continue reading "Fatal Truck Accident in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A construction worker trying to help free a stuck semi was killed on April 1 when the truck backed over him. The truck, pulling a flatbed load of concrete pipe, got stuck on a muddy dirt road. Kevin Armstrong, a site manager for Cooper River Construction, went behind the truck to attach a chain so a bulldozer could pull the truck free. The truck driver failed to verify the location of Mr. Armstrong, put the truck in reverse, and backed over him. Mr. Armstrong died at the scene.

Thanks to the Charleston, SC Post and Courier for reporting.

A Georgetown County, South Carolina collision between a Dodge Dakota and a logging truck on April 4, 2009, claimed the life of a passenger in the Dakota.

The Dakota was travelling in the Pleasant Hill community around 8:15 PM. Unfortunately, the Dodge was carrying a load of yard debris that reportedly was hanging over the back of the vehicle, obscuring the view of its rear lights. Georgetown residents Michael Elliott, age 28, and his son were riding in the bed of the Dodge pickup when the driver of a logging truck ran into the rear of the vehicle. Mr. Elliott died at the scene from his injuries. His son is expected to recover from his injuries. The driver of the Dodge pickup was charged with driving under the influence.

This collision had several contributing factors: an intoxicated driver, passengers in the bed of a pickup, and a load that covered the taillights. Any of these factors alone could lead to a tragedy, but the combination proved deadly when a multi-ton tractor trailer is the impacting vehicle.

Thanks to the Sun News and SCnow for reporting.

A February 20 collision near Savannah, Georgia between a dump truck and two trains claimed the life of the dump truck driver. The collision occurred near the entrance to the City of Savannah’s water treatment plant in Port Wentworth, Georgia. The driver of the dump truck, Solomon Mainer, worked for a contractor removing sediment from the ponds at the treatment plant. A CSX freight train struck Mr. Mainer’s truck at the crossing. The crossing has no protective gates. The collision with the CSX train threw the dump truck into the path of an Amtrak train, which then struck the truck. The collision with the two trains broke the truck apart, causing vehicle parts to strike at least one other vehicle. Mr. Mainer tragically died at the scene of the collision. Thanks to the Savannah Morning News.

Continue reading "Georgia Dump Truck / Train Collision Takes Life of Driver" »

As reported in the press today, the family of a young boy who was lost in a church bus wreck earlier this year has reached a settlement with the insurance companies who represent the driver of the bus. Young Austin Green passed away from injuries he received in the January 23, 2008 crash. The bus driver was cited for driving too fast for conditions after running off of Highway 178 not far from Liberty, South Carolina. The bus then tumbled down an embankment, before crashing into a tree. Austin's parents will receive $450,000.00 as part of the settlement. Our hearts go out to this young family.