Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What exactly is a wrongful death claim?”
In a truly tragic case out of North Carolina, officials say a large rock that came rolling out of the back of a dump truck is responsible for an unsuspecting driver’s death. Officials with the North Carolina Highway Patrol say that a rock flew through the window of a car on U.S. Highway 221 while it the driver was winding his way through the North Carolina mountains.
Police say that the rock was the size of a basketball and weighed nearly 25 pounds. The rock fell off the back of the truck and landed on the driver, killing him almost immediately. According to a statement from the Highway Patrol, the large rock fell off the back of a northbound dump truck, hit the road once time and bounced upward, ultimately striking the windshield of a Mercedes heading southbound.
Authorities say the rock was one of many loaded into the dump truck that was hauling the rocks to a construction site in nearby Avery County. Police say that the driver of the truck had no idea there was a problem until another driver flagged him down more than a mile from where the deadly accident occurred.
Police say that the accident is an especially tragic reminder of how important it is for commercial vehicles to have their equipment inspected regularly and be up to legal standards. Authorities say that when officers inspected the truck involved in the crash it was clear that there were a lot of equipment violations. An official with the Highway Patrol went so far as to say the dump truck was a faulty vehicle that clearly should not have been allowed on the road.
Investigators say that after the accident officers noticed that the dump truck was covered in rust and that the rust had created large gaps in the back gates of the truck. Officials are currently looking into whether one of those large gaps allowed the 25-pound rock to come loose and strike the passing car.
The driver of the dump truck, Randy Arnett, has been given several civil citations in connection with the accident. Authorities say that once their investigation is complete they will turn over their evidence to the district attorney to consider filing possible criminal charges.
If you, or someone you know, have any questions regarding personal injury claims, please feel free to contact the experienced personal injury attorneys and lawyers in Charlotte, North Carolina at Arnold & Smith, PLLC for a free consultation. Call at 704-370-2828.
About the Author:
Matthew Arnold is a Managing Member with Arnold & Smith, PLLC where he focuses his practice on Personal Injury, Family Law and Business Litigation. Mr. Arnold began his career handling insurance defense litigation for several major insurance companies. He also went on to handle business litigation cases and high value mortgage fraud cases, primarily in Superior Court.
Mr. Arnold grew up in Charlotte, graduating from Providence Senior High School and continued his education at Belmont Abbey College on a basketball scholarship. After graduating cum laude he attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full academic scholarship. In his spare time, Mr. Arnold enjoys golfing and spending time on the North Carolina Coast with his wife and three young children: two daughters and one son.
Source:
“Troopers: Large rock falls off truck, hits car, killing driver,” by Dave Faherty, published at WSOCTV.com.
See Our Related Videos From Our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArnoldSmithPLLC?feature=watch
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Dozens Injured After Charter Bus Overturns :: Personal Injury Attorneys and Lawyers in Charlotte, NC