Houston 18-Wheeler Accident Kills Man and Child
Last week, an 18-wheeler accident on a Houston freeway killed a man and his 2-year-old child.
The accident occurred just before 12:30 pm on Interstate 45 and involved a passenger car and an 18-wheeler. Emergency crews that responded to the scene of the tragedy had to use extrication equipment to remove a man and his child from their severely damaged car. Both were taken to the hospital where they were pronounced dead. The man’s wife, who was in the passenger seat, survived and has been admitted to Memorial Hermann Hospital. She is in serious condition.
More accident investigations are needed before officials can find the cause of the accident. Investigators will look into the speed of the 18-wheeler at the time of the crash. Tractor trailers routinely haul heavy loads and are required to keep within speed limits that are lower than those for passenger cars and other smaller vehicles. Also, the driver will likely have to undergo drug and alcohol testing to determine if he was driving under the influence. The truck will also be subject to investigation to determine if malfunctioning parts or components of the truck could have contributed to the accident. Malfunctioning brakes, weak tires, faulty steering wheel mechanisms, and defective head lights are some examples of damaged 18-wheeler components that can contribute to vehicle instability and loss of control.
18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer
To file claims in an 18-wheeler accident, your 18-wheeler accident lawyer will first have to determine where the liability for the crash lies. There could be a single factor contributing to the crash or a combination of several factors, each of which could have had a role in the accident. Independent investigations have to be conducted; this could take months of probing the trucking company's records, the driver's records, and hiring expert witnesses. All this requires access to substantial resources and the kind of expertise that only a truck accident lawyer who handles these kinds of cases has.
If you have been injured in an 18-wheeler accident, contact an 18-wheeler accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation.
