Category: Truck Accidents

Large commercial vehicles are a familiar sight on the roads of Tennessee, and drivers would be wise to remain vigilant and exercise caution in their presence. Semi-tractor trailers are large and heavy, and catastrophic injuries often result when they are involved in an accident. Some of these accidents could be avoided if passenger vehicle drivers were more patient, but many others are caused by poorly maintained trucks or negligent truck drivers.

Many motorists fail to consider that semi-tractor trailer drivers are operating cumbersome vehicles with limited handling and performance characteristics, and they often do not appreciate the limited visibility provided by a truck’s mirrors. Many truck accidents happen because the semi driver does not see a passenger vehicle that is following too closely, and others are caused by passenger vehicle drivers who make unexpected maneuvers or misjudge a truck’s speed. Another cause of crashes involving trucks is the wind turbulence these vehicles create, which can buffet cars or SUVs unexpectedly as they attempt to pass.

While the majority of commercial vehicle drivers are highly proficient, they often operate under great pressure to complete their journeys as quickly as possible. Driver fatigue is a real problem for logistics companies, and a semi-tractor trailer with a drowsy driver at the wheel is an accident waiting to happen. Large trucks also contain highly sophisticated pneumatic systems, and inadequate maintenance could lead to catastrophic brake or steering failure without warning.

Those injured in accidents involving semi-tractor trailers may pursue civil remedies when negligence is a factor, and a personal injury attorney may file a lawsuit on their behalf against the truck driver, the trucking company or both. A truck driver may be considered to have acted negligently when an accident is caused by recklessness, fatigue or impairment, and a trucking company may be held responsible for accidents caused by lax maintenance practices or insufficient driver training.

A multi-car pile-up at an intersection in Tennessee occurred on March 2. A dump truck was the cause of the crash, which killed one person and hurt two others. The incident occurred at around 12 p.m., and reports say that the crash resulted in road closures for a time. Traffic was restricted along Memorial Boulevard between the post office at Irongate and Heritage Park until 4 p.m.

According to one source, the dump truck rear-ended a pickup truck, which then rear-ended the car in front of it, and that car hit a car in another lane. The dump truck driver was not injured, and the drivers of the other cars were not seriously hurt. However, the driver of the pickup truck died at the hospital.

The construction company that owns the dump truck had no comment on the accident. However, one media outlet spoke with a woman who described the sound of the incident. According to the woman, the truck accident caused a crash so loud that it could have been massive rocks falling to the ground or bombs exploding.

Semi-truck accidents can cause major damage since they are large vehicles by necessity. Their size coupled with driver fatigue or negligence can cause serious damage, injuries and death. A lawyer may be able to help an individual injured in an accident due to a truck driver’s negligence. If a family member is killed in a truck accident, an attorney may be able to work with the family of the deceased. An attorney may be able get the damages owed to the victim or their family such as medical bills, lost work time, pain and suffering and damage to the vehicle.

Source: WSMV, 1 person killed in multi-vehicle crash in Murfreesboro, Kara Apel, March 2, 2015

A multi-vehicle crash near the Murfreesboro Airport in Rutherford County claimed the life of one person and injured two others on March 2. Tennessee authorities said the accident took place shortly after noon.

According to police, the chain-reaction crash began when a dump truck smashed into the back of a pickup truck that was stopped at the intersection of Memorial Boulevard and Airport Road. The pickup then struck the car in front of it, causing that car to collide with a vehicle in another lane. The male pickup truck driver was airlifted to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Two other drivers suffered minor injuries in the crash. The dump truck driver, who works for Melton Construction Company, was not hurt.

Witnesses said the collision sounded like a bomb going off. Memorial Boulevard was shut down for several hours from Heritage Park to Irongate as police investigated and cleared the scene. It was reopened at approximately 4 p.m. The accident remains under investigation.

When a commercial truck driver crashes into the rear of a vehicle that is already stopped, it is often due to driver distraction or driver fatigue. When someone is killed in a similar truck accident, family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent driver and in some cases the company that employs that driver. With the aid of an attorney, a victim’s family could use accident investigation reports, witness testimony and other crash scene evidence to attempt to prove that the driver was responsible for the death of their loved one. A wrongful death claim could provide the victim’s family with much-needed financial compensation to cover the unexpected costs of medical care, funeral and burial costs, lost income and other damages.

Source: WSMV, “1 person killed in multi-vehicle crash in Murfreesboro”, Kara Apel, March 3, 2015

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 1,370 vehicles involved in fatal crashes in Tennessee during 2012. More than 100 of the vehicles involved in these incidents were large trucks, accounting for under 8 percent of the total. The number of large trucks in fatal accidents within Tennessee only accounted for less than 3 percent of the country’s total. Nationwide, there were more than 45,600 fatal motor vehicle accidents reported during 2012.

Large trucks accounted for more than 8 percent of the nation’s fatal accidents in that year. Almost 4,000 people were killed and over 100,000 suffered injuries in an accident involving a large truck. The NHTSA notes that there were more than 330,000 large trucks involved in traffic accidents during 2012. More than 80 percent of the fatal accidents involving large trucks were multi-vehicle crashes.

Multi-vehicle crashes accounted for less than 60 percent of the fatal accidents only involving passenger vehicles. Researchers also found that large trucks were over three times as likely to be involved in a fatal rear-end collision than passenger vehicles. More than 30 percent of the fatal crashes involving a large truck and one other vehicle resulted in damage being inflicted on both front-ends. In over 45 percent of the fatal accidents, a large truck and another vehicle were heading in a straight direction when the incident occurred.

Anyone who has suffered an injury in a large truck accident might benefit from consulting a lawyer. Legal counsel may be able to investigate the crash and determine who may be held accountable for the ensuing damages. Plaintiffs in these cases are often entitled to receive restitution that can help compensate for medical costs, repair expenses, loss of income and other hardships caused by the accident.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Large Trucks”, accessed on Feb. 4, 2015

Tennessee motorists may have heard that the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is concerned with the failure of regulators to act on many matters related to trucking safety in recent years. The board has stated its belief that changes are necessary in the coming year. In a recent news conference, the NTSB referenced the injury of comedian Tracy Morgan as it highlighted statistics that reflect a need for aggressive action.

Technology is highlighted as one of the areas for promoting a reduction in truck crashes. Sensors that could warn drivers of potential lane changes or collision risks could minimize the potential for accidents. Additional points of emphasis should include improved oversight of hour limits for drivers as well as more effective regulation of trucking entities that have reported high rates of accidents.

Statistically, the board notes a four-year trend of increasing numbers of fatalities connected with trucking accidents. From 2009 to 2013, the incidentshave increased by 17 percent. Fatigue was a concern in the Tracy Morgan situation, and the NTSB recommends more thorough screening for sleep disorders and other related conditions that could jeopardize motorists. Safety enforcement is also cited as a potential area that may be tied to problems with trucking accidents. Meanwhile, some regulations may have been weakened because of congressional efforts to promote further research of the effects of rush-hour driving on trucking incidents.

Although national efforts to tighten regulations may be important, those future actions do little to help a motorist who is currently suffering damages and injuries because of an accident involving a fatigued or otherwise negligent truck driver. A successful personal injury claim could assist in covering past, current and future medical expenses as well as providing compensation for other damages incurred.

Source: Bloomberg News, “Trucking Safety Should Be a Higher U.S. Priority, NTSB Says”, Alan Levin, 01/13/2015

Motorists in Tennessee may be interested in understanding more about trends involving large trucks. Information about truck accidents has been collected and published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During 2012, there were 1,379 vehicles involved in fatal crashes that occurred in Tennessee. Large trucks accounted for 7.8 percent of the state’s total deadly accidents, and the 107 fatal crashes involving large trucks in Tennessee accounted for less than 3 percent of the U.S. total.

There were nearly 105,000 injuries and more than 3,900 fatalities in crashes that involved large trucks during 2012. The number of fatalities represented a 4 percent increase from the previous year. Approximately 18 percent of the fatalities were occupants in large trucks, 73 percent of the deaths were people in other vehicles and 10 percent were not inside any vehicle. The total number of fatalities for occupants inside large trucks and occupants in other vehicles increased by 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

The number of injuries associated with large trucking accidents increased by 18 percent from the previous year. Among those injured in trucking accidents during 2012, 24 percent were occupants of large trucks and 73 percent were inside other vehicles. Approximately 3 percent of the injuries were attributed to occupants not riding in any vehicle. The NHTSA considers large trucks to be those with a gross weight that exceeds 10,000 pounds.

People who are injured in a large truck accident may benefit from confiding in legal counsel. A lawyer might be able to investigate the accident and help determine any party may be held culpable for ensuing damages. In order to collect restitution, legal counsel may have to prove that the defendant’s negligence was the cause of the damages.

Source: National Center for Statistics and Analysis, “Traffic Safety Facts – Large Trucks“, December 23, 2014

According to Metro police, two people were killed in a car accident that occurred on westbound Interstate 24 north of downtown Nashville on Dec. 2 just after 5 p.m. The 3-vehicle collision happened when a 29-year-old man driving a tractor-trailer allegedly veered across the grassy median and struck a FedEx truck, causing both vehicles to burst into flames. The driver of the FedEx truck has been identified as a 52-year-old man from Villa Grove, Illinois. Due to the severity of the burns, positive identification will be made through dental records.

The third vehicle that was involved was a BMW sedan; the 29-year-old male driver sustained non-critical injuries and was treated at Skyline Medical Center. Both lanes on the interstate were closed for several hours at mile marker 44, just south of Briley Parkway and west of Interstate 65. The interstate was reopened the same evening around 10 p.m.

While police have reported that there was no indication that impairment played a role in causing the crash, they are still investigating why the tractor-trailer crossed over the median. When a collision involves a semi-truck, the trucking companies representing the employees might work with authorities to determine what factors contributed to the wreck. Often, companies will keep information on hand that could be useful in assisting the police investigation such as records of vehicle maintenance or any history of defective auto parts that were previously replaced on the truck.

It is possible that the family members of the victim from FedEx may attempt to hold the trucking company that the 29-year-old worked for responsible for a wrongful death. If an attorney can show that negligence was a role of the semi-truck accident, the company may offer a settlement that would help the family pay for medical expenses or damages that were incurred.

Source: WRCB, “2 killed in fiery crash on I-24 W; interstate now open“, Kara Apel, December 03, 2014

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released safety facts based on 2012 data. In 2012, there were 107 large trucks involved in fatal accidents in Tennessee. This number represents 2.8 percent of the total number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in the U.S. Across the country, 330,000 semi-trucks were involved in accidents in 2012. As a result of these wrecks, 104,000 people suffered injuries and 3,921 people were killed.

While large trucks comprised 4 percent of all registered vehicles in 2012, they made up 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal accidents. When these crashes occurred, 73 percent of the people who died were in vehicles other than the large trucks, while 18 percent of these victims were in the trucks.

The report goes on to note that 81 percent of deadly truck accidents in 2012 involved multiple vehicles, compared to 58 percent for passenger vehicles. When a multiple-vehicle accident with a large truck occurred, another vehicle was most likely to hit the rear of the truck. Additionally, most crashes took place on weekdays in rural areas.

Compared to drivers of motorcycles and passenger cars, large truck drivers were in slightly more recorded fatal crashes in 2012. However, large truck drivers had the lowest percentage of recorded license suspensions and DWI convictions.

A semi-truck accident could result in serious injuries for those in other vehicles, but truck drivers and the companies they work for are not automatically liable for injuries. A driver, company or manufacturer is only responsible for the injuries someone suffers if negligence occurred. If a driver drove longer than federal regulations allow, for example, the driver and his or her employer may be liable for an accident.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, “Large Trucks“, October 28, 2014

On Sept. 4 around 1:45 p.m., two Tennessee Department of Transportation workers suffered injuries in an accident involving a semi-truck while they were directing traffic on I-24 West outside of Manchester. A previous collision and roadside labor caused traffic congestion prior to the crash, and the two men turned on their work truck’s sign to alert oncoming traffic. The semi-truck failed to merge into the left lane as indicated by the sign and ran into the back of the TDOT truck carrying the two men.

The impact forced the utility vehicle across the emergency lane and into a rock wall. The semitrailer hit the wall as well. The TDOT workers were transported to a local medical facility, and one had been released by around noon on the day after the crash. The other worker was listed in stable condition on Sept. 5. The truck driver suffered minor injuries and was not hospitalized, and law enforcement officials reported that the semi-truck driver could face charges.

An investigation by authorities could reveal what prevented the semitrailer driver from slowing down and switching lanes. The trucker may have been drowsy and oblivious to surroundings because he had been on the road too many hours. Also, the truck may have had faulty brakes or other mechanical problems.

People who have been harmed in accidents that involved tractor-trailers may wish to file personal injury suits against the truck drivers, their employers or both. Doing so could lead to those victims being awarded monetary compensation. Additionally, the potential defendant, or defendants, of such a lawsuit may wish to avoid legal proceedings and attempt to negotiate settlements with the accident victims.

Source: WKRN, “2 TDOT workers flown to Vanderbilt after serious crash on I-24“, September 05, 2014

A truck accident that occurred on Interstate 75 in Campbell County Aug. 27 has left one person dead and three others injured. The accident happened around 3:15 p.m. near Caryville. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a northbound semi-truck crossed over the median and struck a southbound semi-truck head-on.

One of the truck drivers, a 49-year-old man from Russell Springs, Kentucky, was killed in the crash. It is not clear from reports what injuries were suffered by the driver of the second semi-truck. Reports say a passenger car was also involved, and two firefighters were injured. Some of the injured victims were flown to UT Medical Center.

The crash resulted in a chemical fire that closed a portion of I-75 in both directions for several hours and led authorities to evacuate an area within a half-mile of the crash. Witnesses said they heard three or four loud explosions. One of the trucks was carrying batteries, and the other truck was transporting oxidizing materials. However, an earlier report that the crash involved radioactive materials turned out to be incorrect. It is not clear from reports what caused the first truck to cross over the median and strike the second truck.

Motor vehicle crashes can be catastrophic and often result in severe injuries or death. When a person is injured in a truck accident, the injured may be able to seek compensation form a truck’s driver if he or she may have been at fault. That victim may want to consult with an attorney to see if their injuries warrant a civil lawsuit that might allow them to seek compensation for their losses.

Source: Local 8 Now, “One killed, three injured in explosive I-75 head-on tractor trailer crash“, August 28, 2014