Accidents involving cars and tractor-trailers are terrifying, considering that commercial trucks are huge and considerably heavier than passenger vehicles. Those types of motor vehicle crashes may result in injuries or fatalities.
Many Laurel area residents may have heard about the terrifying tractor-trailer accident that occurred recently. According to sources, a tractor-trailer and a car were traveling on Chesapeake Bay Bridge prior to the accident. Unfortunately, the tractor-trailer rear-ended the car, making the automobile plunge off the Bay Bridge. The car fell 27 feet off the bridge and its 24-year-old driver, a Maryland woman, swam for her life. She sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital.
The National Transportation Safety Board and local authorities are investigating the truck accident. Based on a new report, the NTSB determined that the 29-year-old truck driver involved was employed at a trucking company. However, the truck driver was inexperienced at the time of the accident. Distraction was a factor in the crash; the truck driver confessed that he was distracted by the sounds and lights behind him. Sources said that the truck driver may face charges due to the accident.
Trucking companies have a responsibility to hire and designate a truck driver with adequate training and experience. Likewise, a truck driver has to exercise due caution while driving to ensure the safety of other people on the road. If the truck driver does not do so, any truck accident-related injuries or death may be the liability of the truck driver, as well as the trucking company's responsibility.
Whether the truck accident results in minor or severe injuries or a fatality, it can cause emotional trauma to the victim and to the victim's family. If that happens, the injured party may wish to pursue a legal claim for the emotional damages and other expenses caused by the accident. Filing a personal injury lawsuit may help the victims obtain compensation, which can be used to cover accident-related expenses.