This blog has often noted the potential dangers posed to other vehicles by large trucks. Because commercial trucks are so large and heavy, any collision between a truck and a passenger car can be devastating for occupants of the smaller vehicle. However, large trucks can sometimes pose other dangers as well.
Five people were injured recently on Pennsylvania’s I-476 when debris flew the windshield of their car, according to news reports. Police said the debris may have fallen off a truck traveling in the opposite direction on the interstate.
According to news reports, the five injured were all members of a family that was traveling in the southbound lane of I-476 when debris flew into their vehicle. A photograph of their vehicle after the accident showed a huge hole through the center of the car’s windshield.
All five family members were injured in the accident, police said. Two were said to have suffered major injuries and were airlifted to hospitals.
The debris is thought to have come off a truck hauling utility equipment. As of the time of this writing, the police had not yet located the truck or its driver. By law, truck cargo be secured before entering the roadway.
Personal injury cases can be particularly complicated when they involve truck accidents. In a typical personal injury case involving two passenger cars, the party who caused the accident through negligence can be held liable for the other party’s damages, including medical expenses, lost wages and more. In a trucking accident, a truck driver may be found liable, but the driver’s trucking company may also be liable for damages. Trucking safety laws and highway regulations may also play a part in the case.
The damages in a trucking accident can be extreme, and the legal issues can be highly complex. It is important for people injured in trucking accidents to seek out help from an attorney with experience in trucking accident personal injury law.