A recent accident along a state highway in Columbus County killed one person and seriously injured another.
According to a member of the State Highway Patrol, a vehicle crossed the center line on state Route 87 at 11:20 p.m. and struck a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline and fuel. The trailer detached from the truck and went down an embankment that caused an explosion and a fire in the woods.
The impact from the collision ejected both the driver and passenger of the car. The former died on the scene; the latter had serious injuries and was flown to a local hospital. The tractor-trailer driver emerged from the cab on his own.
Data reveal trucks an increasing presence on roadways
Commercial motor vehicles, specifically trucks, contribute significantly to the economy and maintain a continuous presence on roads throughout the United States. According to data from the American Trucking Association, well over 3 million truck drivers traveled more than 577 billion miles in 2020. Moreover, nearly 40 million trucks registered for business purposes transported almost three-quarters of the nation’s freight in 2020.
Serious injury or death can occur with almost every motor vehicle accident. Truck accidents pose an increased risk for serious injury or death for even the most safety-conscious drivers.
Those injured in these accidents will likely face enormous medical expenses. Permanent injuries may mean that they may never be able to do the kind of work they did before the accident. Surviving family members of people killed in truck accidents are left without their loved one’s income and support.
The law refers to these losses as damages. The goal of a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is to compensate the injured or their families for their damages.