Asheboro was the scene of a number of collisions caused by falling truck debris. Debris that fell off a truck on Interstate I-73/74 South caused multiple accidents. In all, the debris resulted in five collisions that included 14 vehicles. The accidents all occurred along a stretch of Interstate 73/74 near Spero Road as well as near Vision Drive and Pineview Road. The police reported the accidents all happened at about the same time, and each incident involved several or more vehicles.
Westside Fire and Rescue Responded
Westside Fire & Rescue assisted the Highway Patrol with all the accidents. Westside Fire and Rescue was on the way to Vision Drive to assist with debris cleanup when they learned of a separate accident near Spero Road. That accident involved four vehicles, and minor injuries were reported. A different team found another nearby accident that included three vehicles. A different accident occurred between four vehicles on Pineview Road, with an entrapment reported. A final accident happened in the same location between three vehicles.
Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”
Falling Debris is Dangerous
Debris that falls from vehicles onto the roadway creates a serious and dangerous situation. With drivers zipping along at 65 MPH, a sudden encounter with a piece of debris could be deadly. Trucks are required to properly secure their loads, so they remain on the vehicle at all times. In this case, we do not know the exact circumstances of the situation; however, the debris fell off the truck when it should have been secured. Drivers likely had just split seconds to react to materials flying at them or on the roadway just in front of their cars.
Falling debris on the roadway is typically divided into two categories, including stationary debris and flying debris. Stationary debris is cargo or items that have fallen off a vehicle and remain on the road. This type of debris could be a piece of equipment, a piece of furniture, or even the spill of a liquid product. The debris is in the lanes of traffic, and drivers may not be able to avoid hitting it. Flying debris is cargo that flies off a vehicle and strikes another vehicle on the way down. For example, a piece of wood or a tarp might fall or blow off a truck and hit another vehicle nearby.
Who is Responsible for Accidents Caused by Falling Debris?
All drivers on the roads have an obligation to ensure the safety of themselves and others. They must drive in a manner that is safe to the public. In the case of falling debris, the truck driver and/or trucking company may be negligent. The load may have been improperly secured, or the driver may have driven in an unsafe manner, which caused the load to shift or fall off. Serious accidents with injuries and fatalities have been caused by the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company that failed to safely secure their cargo.
If you were injured in an accident because of falling truck debris, you would need to take steps to prove the negligence of the other driver. To learn more, contact us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 for a consultation to discuss your accident.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
negligence | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute (cornell.edu)
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https://www.freeimages.com/photo/car-accident-2-1449295
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