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Semi truck accident traps passenger vehicle on highway

Unfortunately, traffic accidents occur every day. It is a risk we all take when we drive. However, preventable accidents that are caused by negligent drivers are unacceptable. This is especially true when the accident is caused by a semi-truck, which can cause more damage and destruction to passenger vehicles than other cars and trucks on the road. It is one of the reasons why federal trucking regulations exist, to protect the general public from the dangers of the trucking industry. When a negligent truck driver causes a truck accident, both the driver of the truck and the trucking company can be liable for the resulting damages.

Recently, in Pennsylvania, it appears one such accident occurred that involved a negligent truck driver and a passenger vehicle. According to police, the truck driver failed to obey posted signs that instructed all large trucks to only use the left lane of the highway. As a result, the truck driver struck a concrete barrier that was on the right side of the road, ultimately causing the driver to lose control of the semi. The truck driver veered into the left lane, immediately striking a Honda Civic driven by a 22-year-old woman.

The impact of the collision was so severe that it forced the Honda into the center concrete barrier, which caused the car to roll onto its side. To make matters worse, the car was wedged between the semi-truck and the barrier, with no place to go. The injured woman was transported to a nearby hospital by helicopter with serious, but non-life-threatening, injuries.

A truck accident victim has the right to seek legal compensation for any vehicle damage or injuries caused by a liable party. This includes both the truck driver and the company for which the driver works. In this case, the driver of the Honda may file a lawsuit against the driver of the truck and the trucking company. The victim must prove that the driver of the truck was negligent, that the negligence caused the accident and that the accident caused the injuries and damage.

Source: WPVI-TV, “Drivers of truck and pinned car in Northeast Extension crash identified,” May 2, 2013.

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