Getting a flat tire while driving on a Georgia interstate can be a frightening experience. It would be easy to lose control of the vehicle, which could lead to an accident. Safely pulling onto the shoulder of the highway may seem like the end of the danger, but that is not always the case. An individual becomes vulnerable to a car or tractor trailer accident while stopped on the shoulder to change the tire.
A 14-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after being struck by an 18-wheeler while he and his stepfather changed a flat tire on the vehicle in which they had been traveling. It was approximately 7:47 p.m. when troopers with the Georgia State Patrol were called to the scene of the accident near mile marker 281 on Interstate 75. A northbound tractor trailer veered out of the lane onto the shoulder and struck the teenager.
Fortunately, he survived the accident, though not without injuries. He was transported to a hospital in the area by helicopter. The nature of his injuries and his current condition are not known. What caused the semi-truck to leave the roadway in the first place is still under investigation. Reports indicate that charges are pending against the 32-year-old truck driver.
Meanwhile, it could be some time before the teen recovers from his injuries. His family is undoubtedly incurring a significant amount of medical bills in connection with the tractor trailer accident. They are entitled to file a personal injury claim against the truck driver and his employer — the law provides that the employer may be held liable for the negligent actions of its employee — in an effort to recover a judgment for monetary damages. Successfully documenting to the court that the truck driver was negligent could lead to an award of all financial damages allowed by law.
Source: Cartersville, GA Patch, “Teen Hit By Tractor Trailer While Changing Tire On I-75“, Kristal Dixon, Jan. 10, 2015
