Pile-Up Truck Accident Crash In South Texas
A massive crash which involved two large tractor-trailers and two smaller vehicles killed five people in Dimmit County south of San Antonio in January 2015. According to state troopers, the crash occurred on Highway 83, about two miles north of Asherton. When a southbound truck tried to make a sudden left turn, a second truck was forced to try and turn out of the way. The diesel or gasoline tanker was not able to move in time, and it smashed into the other truck. A pickup truck and a van then slammed into the disabled vehicles, triggering an enormous fireball. All five van occupants were killed, and the pickup driver was rushed to an area hospital with severe burns over 80 percent of his body. None of the names were released. Winning a Large Truck Accident Case A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh over 80,000 pounds. Even in ideal conditions, it takes such a vehicle over 500 feet – about the length of two football fields – to fully stop. It is also almost impossible for these vehicles to safely perform an evasive maneuver. With all the cargo coming north from Mexico through The Lone Star State, Texas freeways are incredibly dangerous. Partially in response to these serious safety concerns, more and more large truck now carry Event Data Recorders – the equivalent of the black boxes in airliners. Most of these devices automatically record technical data like vehicle speed and braking, as well as nontechnical data, such as the driver’s rest periods. So far, the trucking industry has resisted calls to make these EDRs mandatory, citing excessive installation costs. Nonetheless, they are present in a number of these vehicles. If you were injured in a large truck accident, an attorney can send a spoliation letter to the trucking company. This letter puts the company under a duty to preserve the EDR evidence, which can shed considerable light on who was at fault. Without such a letter, all too often this vital evidence will disappear, either accidentally or intentionally. If you can prove that the truck driver was negligent, damages in a truck accident can include compensation for both economic damages, such as lost wages and medical bills, as well as non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages may be available in some cases. To seek the compensation you deserve after an accident, contact a New Braunfels personal injury attorney for a free consultation. After-hours and hospital visits are available.
