A woman was fatally injured in a multi-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 50 involving a speeding semi-trailer truck. The semi truck driver believed responsible for the crash was taken into police custody for questioning.
At about 9 p.m. last night, someone reported a speeding semi-trailer to the police. At the scene of the crash, the 8600 block of East Highway 50, police found the semi truck and four cars, one in a ditch, and the other three scattered along the highway for about a quarter of a mile, damaged by flying debris.
First responders found a 67-year-old woman from Summerfield, Illinois, in the overturned car. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Other people had been injured, and they were transported to the hospital.
Police believe the at-fault semi-trailer was part of an earlier incident. Someone had called the O’Fallon, Illinois, police department just prior to the crash to report that a woman had jumped from the truck. This woman was found in the 100 block of East Highway 50 and taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Should a trucking company be held responsible for personal injury and wrongful death caused by a speeding truck driver?
If there is evidence to support the claim, a trucking company should be held legally responsible for the actions of its drivers. Moreover, in a case where the semi truck driver had been speeding or otherwise driving recklessly, we would look for evidence to support punitive damages claims against the driver and trucking company. Generally, a punitive damages claim requires a finding of gross negligence. A trucking company is grossly negligent if it allows someone to driver its big rigs who is not qualified or otherwise unfit, for example if there is a history of traffic violations.
Our truck accident attorneys have won millions for clients with personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against trucking companies, including some of the largest companies in the United States. A wrongful death settlement can be used to honor the memory of the lost family member.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dead-injured-after-semi-truck-hits-four-cars-on-u/article_e0ffb52d-b2a4-54b5-8a5e-331c0d65b131.html