On Thursday afternoon, February 10, 2011, NC 18 closed near the Wilkes-Alleghany line for several hours and into the night due to a tractor-trailer wreck.
The truck driver lost control of his rig, which ran 150 feet off of the highway and over the embankment before crashing into several trees. The rig’s one passenger, Sharon Malone of Illinois, was pushed back into the sleeper area by the impact and pinned inside the vehicle. The driver, a man from Wisconsin, suffered injuries but went back to the road to seek help.
Rescue units from Wilkes and Alleghany were called to the scene of the accident at approximately 12:15 pm. A landing zone was set up near the site of the crash for Baptist AirCare. Part of the highway had to be closed during the night to clear the wreck, and the state patrol will be issuing several charges to the truck driver.
Commercial drivers are professionally trained to control their vehicles adequately. Often, when they do not, it is due to simple human error or negligence. Unfortunately, the driver’s error in this case led to his passenger being injured and pinned inside the truck — truly a terrifying experience for anyone.
What injury victims may not know is that parties other than the driver can be held legally responsible for crashes necessitating medical treatment. If you or someone you know is harmed in motor vehicle accidents like this one, you may be able to file a claim against the trucking company as well. Contact our North Carolina truck accident attorneys for a free consultation.
IW