A fatal accident recently occurred on the Ohio Turnpike that closed a portion of the highway for several hours. The Ohio State Patrol suspect that the seven vehicle accident was started when a 58-year-old truck driver failed to yield. One man lost his life in the crash and five others were injured, highlighting how dangerous truck accidents can be.
The man was driving a semi truck and hauling officer furniture at the time of the crash. The Ohio State Patrol hypothesize that as the man approached a construction zone, he did not yield his big rig in time to avoid a collision with the slowing traffic. He originally collided with one car, and that car then ran into five more cars due to the force of the impact.
The driver of the first car lost his life in the accident. Two more people involved in the accident suffered life-threatening injuries, and they had to be airlifted to an area hospital. Three others were injured and taken to a local hospital, but their injuries were considered non life-threatening. Their conditions at this time are not known. The Ohio State Patrol stated that the semi truck driver will face criminal charges, but the exact charges were not reported.
Due to the sheer size and the weight of semi trucks, truck accidents can often lead to fatalities, as seen in this Ohio accident. If they choose to do so, the family of the man who lost his life could file a wrongful death claim against the truck driver and the trucker’s employer. The five others who were injured in the crash could also file for personal injury suits against the same parties as well. These individuals can take legal action in an attempt to receive monetary compensation for damages sustained.
Source: nbc24.com, “1 killed, 5 injured in Ohio Turnpike crash“, Angl Gonzalez, Oct. 20, 2014