A late-night drive became fatal for three people on Highway 365 on Nov. 12. This car accident happened around 1 a.m. on the north side of the Georgia city of Gainesville. The crash left six people with injuries. The preliminary investigation into this fatal accident indicates that it was caused by a pickup truck making a left-hand turn in front of a northbound semi-truck.
The 18-wheeler slammed into the pickup truck, killing its driver and passenger. According to reports, one other person died in the crash, but it is unclear at this time which vehicle was occupied by the third person killed. There have been no reports on the current condition of the semi-truck driver or the five other people injured. The collision caused a multiple-vehicle accident that cascaded and involved four vehicles in total.
Police closed the northbound lanes of the highway for nearly nine hours due to the on-scene investigation and cleanup of this accident. Local residents have advised authorities that they believe not everyone has become accustomed to the new traffic signal recently installed at this busy intersection. Aside from that, the driver of the pickup may have been distracted in some way, which could have contributed to this crash.
Even though it will not change the events of that night, the families of the deceased individuals are within their legal rights to file wrongful death claims against the estate of the pickup truck driver — if he is proved negligent — and any other party who may have culpability in this fatal accident. Any moneys awarded by the Georgia courts could help with the financial burden caused by the sudden death of loved ones. The injured parties may file personal injury claims for monetary damages that could cover expenses such as medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Source: myfoxatlanta.com, 3 killed in multi-vehicle crash on Hwy. 365 in Gainesville – Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports, Marc Teichner, Nov. 12, 2013