A 46-year-old truck driver was killed on the morning of December 7 when he was run over by his own 18-wheeler. According to law enforcement, there were reports that the trucker had been driving erratically on U.S. 1 as he approached Lowndes Avenue in Ormand Beach.
The driver is alleged to have left his vehicle while it was still in motion. The truck’s trailer ran the driver over, killing him. The rig then continued forward into oncoming traffic, smashing into a car. Both the car’s driver and a passenger were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.
According to investigators, the trailer was empty at the time of the accident. It is not currently known whether the truck driver exited his vehicle intentionally or fell out. Troopers have examined the truck’s driver-side door in an attempt to determine whether it malfunctioned. According to police, the driver owned the truck and was renting the trailer.
Helping trucking accident victims get justice
Under Florida law, victims of serious injuries are able to bring personal injury suits in court against any negligent parties who are responsible for their injuries. Depending on the cause of a trucking accident and the seriousness of your injuries, it may be possible to bring a personal injury suit against a driver, a trucking company, a shipper or even a truck manufacturer in the wake of a tractor-trailer wreck.
Drivers can be held responsible when their negligent actions led to an accident. Trucking companies may be liable when they force their drivers into working too many hours, leading to drowsy driving. Shipping companies are sometimes found responsible when they pack or load goods into a trailer in a way that makes transportation dangerous or causes a truck to tip over. Manufacturers may be held accountable in situations where product defects led to the truck accident.
If you or a family member has been hurt in any type of accident involving a commercial vehicle, speak to the experienced Bradenton personal injury attorneys at the firm of Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh to learn your rights.