What Happened
A tractor trailer lost control on the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel in Newport News, Virginia (VA). The accident happened on the bridge portion of the roadway and left the truck dangling off the side of the bridge over the water. The driver was charged with reckless driving.
NB lanes reopen at MMMBT after crash
The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers’ Perspective
The newest data from the National Highway and Traffic Administrations shows that fatalities in crashes involving large trucks increased by 9 percent from the previous year. The Virginia (VA) bridge tunnel accident illustrates just how dangerous truck accidents can be for smaller vehicles. What would have happened if a little Kia would have been between the tractor-trailer and the guard wall? The force of the truck accident alone sent the truck cab crashing over the wall; a smaller car may have been crushed or pushed over the bridge first.
In truck accidents only 14% of truck drivers are killed or injured in truck crashes whereas 76% of smaller vehicle drivers are killed or injured in the same truck accidents. This goes to show just how dangerous truck accidents are to the general public.
Potentially Helpful Info:
Commercial truck accidents are very different than a regular car accident and specific rules apply. Being in an accident is scary and often confusing. Most people feel that a commercial truck company would want to “do the right thing” by helping them when their truck driver is at fault. This often is not the case. As Virginia (VA) truck accident attorneys we handled a case where a semi-truck lost control and sped off the side of the road just like in the MMBT truck accident. But in this accident the truck driver hit a disabled motorist and killed him. It was our contention that because the defendant driver carried a commercial driver’s license, he was under a higher duty of care to other motorists than someone with an ordinary driver’s license and the man’s widow was awarded $410,000 for his untimely death.
Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm’s FAQs
If you have suffered serious injuries from a truck accident then you probably have a lot of questions. Our Virginia (VA) truck accident attorneys have created a free legal resource just for this situation. Read our free guide, Truck Crash Injuries: What to Do If Hurt in a Truck Wreck.
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