An accident that occurred the evening of Sunday, September 13, left the southbound section of Interstate 95 blocked off and resulted in the death of an 18-year-old man. There were also injuries to 13 people.
The accident happened shortly before 10:45 p.m., close to mile marker 374, just north of Yulee. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, traffic had already been backed up because of a previous crash on I-95 southbound. However, the driver of a tractor trailer did not stop for the backed-up traffic and hit several stopped vehicles, causing a chain reaction.
By the time all the crashes were over, there were 26 total vehicles — including three commercial trucks — that had been damaged. Traffic had to be rerouted off the highway and through Yulee.
Complexity of chain-reaction accidents
Liability for a chain-reaction accident often lies with the person who caused the initial collision and the resulting domino effect. In this case, that would be the truck driver who did not stop when he saw traffic backed up.
The fact that a truck driver possibly caused the accident could lead to additional complications. Unless he is an owner-operator, the driver’s employer may be liable because the man was performing his job duties at the time of the crash. The legal principle of vicarious liability holds that the actions of an employee are essentially the same as those of the employer in certain situations. This is often the case with car accidents.
For more information and guidance on determining liability for an auto accident, contact an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer with Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.