A tragic accident in Georgia involving a car and semi-truck recently snatched away one life. The accident happened along Highway 41. The truck accident took place at about 9 p.m. on a recent Thursday.
According to police, a semi-truck driver was performing a safety inspection outside of the truck. All of a sudden, the truck began to roll. Police said this happened because the brake or parking brakes were either not properly set, or they failed.
As the unsecured vehicle, which was carrying degreasers and pesticides, rolled down a hill, it hit a red truck that was going north on the highway. The pickup truck was carrying a family. It took about two hours for emergency crews to free the trapped family. The mother in the truck died in the collision, and the father and two toddler children suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital. The semi-truck driver was arrested following the accident and was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
The semi-truck driver who was arrested will not only have to respond to his DUI charges but also may have to respond to liability claims following the accident. The father may choose to file personal injury claims against the truck driver and even against the driver’s employer in light of the injuries that both he and his children suffered. He may also file a wrongful death claim against the driver since his wife died in the Georgia truck accident. If the arrested man is convicted on his DUI charges, proof of the conviction may be used to try to establish his liability in a related civil court proceeding.
Source: wsbtv.com, “Woman killed after tractor trailer overturns on family’s car”, Aug. 13, 2015
