According to the family’s truck accident complaint, trucker Michael Dale Chandler and his employer Potts & Callahan Inc. were negligent in causing Yates’s death. Surveillance footage shows the trucker turning right without activating his turn signal.
Even though investigators say that the bicyclist was at fault because he was biking in parking lanes and attempted to pass the truck from the right, the family’s truck accident lawyer maintains that the victim did nothing wrong because state law lets a cyclist stay as far to the right as possible and with the traffic’s flow.
Chandler did not stop his truck following the grisly truck accident. However, investigators say they don’t think that the trucker knew that he had struck Yates.
Getting caught under the wheels of any vehicle—especially a large truck, can be catastrophic for the pedestrian or bicyclist involved. Imagine the weight of thousands of pounds moving over your body. It is no surprise when a victim does not survive getting run over by a tractor-trailer, an 18-wheeler truck, a semi-truck, a garbage truck, or any other kind of large truck.
Although nothing can make up for pain and suffering of the victim, as well as the family’s grief, you may be able to get the negligent party to financially compensate you, which can help offset medical expenses, funeral or cremation costs, lost income, and other losses.
Family of bicyclist killed in city accident files $5 million lawsuit, The Baltimore Sun, March 5, 2010
Lawsuit Filed In Hit-And-Run That Killed Cyclist, WJZ, March 4, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Bicycle Crash Facts, Bicyclinginfo.org
National Crash Facts, FMCSA
Wallace has been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter. Investigators claim that the truck driver disregarded federal trucking regulations when he didn’t get more than fours sleep before the truck collision happened.
Distracted Driving
While distracted driving is a dangerous habit for any driver to engage, it can lead to especially catastrophic consequences when the offending motorist is a large truck driver. Large trucks generally weigh thousands of pounds and a collision with one of these vehicles can prove catastrophic. This is why truckers must stay focused on what they are doing. They cannot afford to talk on the cell phone, text message, watch TV, surf the Web, send and receive emails, or do anything that removes even just a small amount of focus from the road and the vehicles and pedestrians around them. Distracted driving can be grounds for a Chicago, Illinois truck accident lawsuit if this negligent driving habit contributed to causing a collision.
It is so important that truckers are well-rested before they start their driving shift that the federal government has regulations in place to make sure they have time to get enough sleep and recuperate from their long shifts. Truck drivers are also only allowed to drive for a certain number of hours at a time.
Unfortunately, there continue to be many exhausted, drowsy, and distracted truckers on the road. Having a sleeping truck driver behind the steering wheel of a tractor-trailer, a semi-truck, or an 18-wheeler truck is like having a large, dangerous, moving vehicle on the road with no one driving it.
Thomas Wallace, Truck Driver, Was Watching Porn On Laptop Before Killing Julie Stratton In Crash: Police, The Huffington Post, January 27, 2010
Mom of two mowed down by trucker watching porn on laptop: cops, NY Daily News, January 27, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Distracted Driving, US Department of Transportation
]]>The defendant in the Illinois semi-truck case, trucking company Heartland Express, had admitted liability because trucker William Hinds fell asleep at the wheel. This means that all the jury had to do was decide how much should be awarded in damages to the men.
After dozing off, Hinds’s semi-truck struck a Ford Taurus, killing the Rockford woman driving the vehicle and triggering a multi-vehicle La Salle County auto crash. One of the vehicles involved in the truck accident was the Toyota Camry that 67-year-old Donald Ratio was driving. The impact pushed his vehicle into another semi-truck, fatally injuring him and his 65-year-old wife Faye.
Hinds was also seriously injured in the Illinois truck collision. Originally named a defendant in the Rautio’s wrongful death lawsuit, his name was later dropped from the complaint.
Chicago, Illinois Truck Accidents Involving Drowsy Truckers
Unfortunately, drowsy driving is a common hazard when working as a commercial truck driver. Long hours on the road, not enough rest in between shifts, driving alone and without much scenery, and undiagnosed sleep apnea are some reasons why a trucker operating a vehicle weighing tens of thousands of pounds might become drowsy and fall asleep at the wheel. When this happens, the consequences to the truck driver and others on the road can prove fatal.
Family wins $4 million lawsuit over I-39 pileup, Newstrib, February 26, 2010
Former Minnesota educators die in Illinois car crash, Kare11, 2007
Related Web Resources:
Interstate 39, Interstate Guide
Brashear’s vehicle was at the end of a line of cars that were stopped in traffic on Interstate 75. His son Tyler sustained serious injuries during the truck crash. One other man and at least nine other people were injured.
Brashear’s family has resolved their wrongful death case with the trucking company that employed trucker Pablo Merlos. The trucker was eating while driving and was not wearing shoes when the semi-truck crash happened. Merlos was accused of not making much of an effort to stop the large truck for 10.5 seconds as it proceeded to hit other vehicles. His truck left 27 feet of skid marks at the crash site.
This $4 million wrongful death verdict was awarded against Zep Construction and Traffic Control Systems Inc. The jury is deciding how much in punitive damages the two defendants should pay for consciously ignoring drivers’ safety on the highway.
The Brashears had accused Zep of failing to proper the proper safety procedures before stopping traffic. They noted that electronic warning signs, which Traffic Control Systems was contracted to provide for the bridge repair project, were not in place that night.
Zep’s attorneys tried to blame the semi-truck crush on Merlos, but the jury only found him 5% liable.
Chicago, Illinois Truck Crashes
There may be more than one party that should be held liable for your Chicago, Illinois truck accident case. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your large truck crash, construction companies in charge of traffic zones, vehicle manufacturers, and government entities are just some of the possible liable parties.
Jury awards family $4 million for fatal accident, Herald Tribune, February 25, 2010
Efforts Lag to Improve Safety at Work Zones, The New York Times, December 21 2010
Related Web Resources:
Truck Accidents, Nolo
Road Construction, Getting Around Illinois
However, truck drivers aren’t always the ones responsible for causing large truck accidents. Truckers can be accident victims too.
For example, just last week, five semi-trucks were involved in a collision on Interstate 29. According to police, semi-truck driver Karl Krueger rear-ended the semi operated by Charles M. Sundt, causing a chain reaction with the other large trucks.
Sundt, 62, was injured in the large truck crash and was transported to a hospital. Krueger, also 62, died from his truck accident injuries. The other two truck drivers did not get hurt.
Truckers have to exercise due care to prevent themselves from getting involved in a traffic crash. However, there are those accidents are completely beyond a truck driver’s control, such as when a Chicago truck collision is caused by a negligent motorcyclist, car driver, pedestrian, or another party.
Five semis collide, killing S.D. driver, Nonpareil Online, February 17, 2010
Five semi-truck chain-reaction crash results in death and injury, JusticeNewsFlash, February 17, 2010
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Trucking Associations, TruckInfo.net
She claims that she was rear-ended by the 2006 International CF600 garbage truck, driven by Sanders, on the morning of March 17, 2008. She says the trucker caused the Illinois garbage truck collision when he failed to lower his speed and/or brake to avoid a crash and neglected to keep a proper lookout for other autos.
Barnes says the truck crash caused her to become lame, sick, sore and disordered, as well as experience suffering and pain. She claims that her earning capacity was impaired, she lost income, and accrued medical expenses. Barnes is seeking over $150,000.
Garbage Truck Accidents
Getting hit by a garbage truck that weighs tens of thousands of pounds can prove catastrophic for pedestrians and motorists on the receiving end of this type of collision. Common causes of Illinois garbage truck crashes include:
• Falling garbage
• Drunk driving
• Drugged driving
• Faulty brakes
• Faulty maintenance
• Trying to stick to the garbage pickup schedule
• Poor visibility
• Not being able to stop fast enough during an emergency
• Distracted driving
• Inadequate driver training
• Failure to yield
• Driver fatigue
• Difficulties maneuvering vehicle
Garbage truck rear-ends Honda, suit claims, The Record, February 19, 2010
]]> While not all garbage truck crashes are the truck driver’s fault, the best way to determine whether you have grounds for filing a Chicago, Illinois truck crash lawsuit is to speak with an injury attorney.]]>She leaves behind her husband, 9-year-old daughter, 13-year-old son, mother, and siblings.
Chicago, Illinois Truck Accidents
If you believe that a negligent semi-truck driver caused your traffic accident, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced Chicago, Illinois truck crash lawyerr. Your first consultation is free and this will allow you to determine whether you have grounds for a Chicago personal injury lawsuit.
18-wheeler trucks, big rig trucks, garbage trucks, semi-trailers, and other large trucks are so massive in size and weight that most motorists and pedestrians involved in a Chicago truck crash will likely have sustained serious if not fatal injuries. Burns, disfigurement, spinal cord injuries, severed limbs, traumatic brain injuries, and other serious injuries can result. It is important to determine whether distracted driving, drowsy driving, cell phone use, text message, drunk driving, failure to abide by the hours of service rule or other commercial traffic regulations, poor truck maintenance, truck malfunction, or a defective truck part contributed to causing the collision.
Homewood mother of 2 killed on tollway, SouthtownStar, February 17, 2010
Woman with flat tire struck, killed by semi, ABC Local, February 16, 2010
Related Web Resource:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
During the winter, wet and frozen roads are inevitable when rain or snow falls over Chicago. It is important for truck drivers to adjust their driving so that they don’t cause any Chicago, Illinois truck crashes.
The other day, 29-year-old Joshua McKinley sustained facial injuries when the van he was driving collided with a semi-truck driven by 49-year-old Timothy May. The trucker sustained minor injuries and was treated at the crash site. Snow and ice may have contributed to the large truck crash.
Ways to avoid causing an Illinois truck rash when the roads are icy:
• Brake gently.
• Slow down so that there are at least three car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Don’t drive on cruise control.
• Activate your headlights.
• Look out for black ice.
• Wear a seatbelt.
• Don’t drive drunk.
• Don’t text or talk on the cell phone.
If your vehicle skids on ice or snow, release your foot from the accelerator and steer your vehicle in the right direction.
Proving liability in any kind of Chicago, Illinois motor vehicle crash is challenging. It is even more difficult when you attempt to pursue recovery from a trucking company.
Slippery Slope: Driver of van injured in crash with semi-truck, News & Tribune, February 9, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Driving in Snow and Ice, The Weather Channel
Chicago Weather, Chicago Tribune
]]> The best way to increase your chances of maximum recovery is to legal help. Please contact our Chicago, Illinois truck accident law firm today.]]>Philbrook went under the truck after he was struck. He had to be flown to the hospital. The teenager suffered a head contusion and broke his pelvis. He was scheduled to undergo surgery over the weekend to repair the pelvic area.
According to investigators, who are investigating the cause of the cement truck accident, sunlight may have been a factor in causing the collision. Following the truck crash, the truck was weighed, unloaded, weight, and brought to the police station where it will stay while the probe is under way.
Illinois Cement Truck Accidents
Cement trucks are large, heavy vehicles that can cause serious injuries during a traffic accident—especially if the victim is a pedestrian who has no protection whatsoever from the impact of the collision. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries can be life altering and very expensive to treat. It can be hard to prove liability in any kind of truck crash without the help of an experienced Chicago, Illinois truck crash law firm representing you.
While truck crashes are not always the trucker's fault, there is a lot that he/she can do to prevent these collissions from happening. Large truck occupants are always at an advantage over other motorists and pedestrians when it comes to safety during a collision.
It is important that you know the extent of your injuries, damages, and costs before agreeing to settle your Illinois truck crash case.
Cement truck accident victim doing well, parents say, Wicked Local, February 4, 2010
North Shore Tech student hit by concrete truck, suffers broken pelvis, Eagle Tribune, February 5, 2010
Related Web Resource:
Truck Accidents, Nolo
She was reportedly walking down a street when she fell under the large vehicle that then pinned her, causing both her legs to become severed. Steckel was airlifted to a hospital where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma. She did not sustain internal injuries.
One witness says that he saw the elderly woman standing next to the truck in a driveway. The man says he looked away for one second and when he looked back she had disappeared. He saw that her body was under the truck near the dual tires on the passenger side, and he and another man ran forward to stop the truck driver.
Pedestrians are nearly always at a disadvantage when they are involved in a traffic accident with a motor vehicle—especially a large truck. Most garbage truck crashes are accidents involving pedestrians. According to pedestrian safety advocate group Right of Way, garbage truck accidents involving pedestrians result in 24 deaths/100 million miles traveled—that’s 8 deaths annually.
Common causes of garbage truck-pedestrian accidents:
• Poor visibility for the garbage truck driver
• Garbage trucks are always on the move, stopping and going
• Failure by the garbage truck driver to to check all mirrors and blind spots before backing up
• Driver inattention
• Pedestrian errors
Garbage trucks are extremely heavy vehicles and serious injuries can result when a pedestrian or pedalcyclist is struck or run over by such a large, heavy vehicle.
Easton woman loses legs in garbage truck accident, The Morning Call, February 5, 2010
Easton pedestrian struck by trash hauler loses legs, but son says she's 'feisty', Lehighvalleylive.com, February 5, 2010
Related Web Resources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Truck Accidents, Justia
]]> In Will County, Cook County, Lake County, and DuPage County, contact Chicago, Illinois truck accident lawyer Steve Malman.]]>According to research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, motorists who text message have their eyes off the road for about 4.5 out of every 6 seconds. That’s plenty of time for a large truck crash or bus accident to happen. Truck drivers are up to 23 times more likely to crash a semi-truck, 18-wheeler truck, tractor-trailer, or any other kind of large truck when they are texting.
While Illinois is one of 19 US states that ban texting while driving for all motorists, that doesn’t mean that people are actually obeying the law. Unfortunately, many motor vehicle drivers continue to check, text, send, and receive messages when they are on the road, which can lead to Chicago motor vehicle crashes.
Distracted driving of any kind can kill people. Texting and talking on a cell phone have proved particularly dangerous. Many people simply cannot comprehend that what they are doing can destroy lives.
It’s bad enough to get involved in a bus accident or large truck crash with a driver who is paying attention. To get involved in a motor vehicle crash with a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds operated by a driver who isn’t paying attention to the road or doesn’t have both hands on the steering wheel because he/she is too busy sending a text message can lead to devastating consequences.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Federal Ban on Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers, US Department of Transportation, January 26, 2010
Officials With Trucking and Bus Industries Support New Texting Ban, Fox News, January 26, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Cellphone laws, IIHS, January 2010
According to the truck accident complaint, Branch was driving through a narrow alley or driveway between two buildings where the visibility was limited. As he turned out of the drive, he hit Siemion, who ended up under the dump truck and street-level plow blade. The large truck dragged him almost 30 feet.
Branch told authorities he did not know that he had hit the bicyclist until he heard a strange noise and saw the bicycle and body in his rear-view mirror. Siemion’s ribs and pelvis were broken and one of his ears was torn off. Yet he was conscious and spoke with a woman who tried to comfort him following the deadly bicycle accident.
He died from a number of injuries. However, police did not file criminal charges against Branch because they said that based on their investigation, they could not determine who was responsible for the deadly truck crash.
The dump truck accident lawsuit contends that the truck driver should have known that the road was one frequently used by drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists and that he could have driven down another road where visibility was better. The complaint cited 21 work-related driving accidents that Branch was involved in over the past 15 years.
The Secretary of State’s Office says the dump truck driver has a clean driving record at this time.
Dump Truck Accidents
Chicago, Illinois dump truck accidents can result in serious injuries. In many dump truck crashes, the truck may have a hard time staying upright. It is also harder for dump truck drivers to see everyone around them or maneuver their vehicles to avoid a truck crash.
Fatal crash lawsuit cites 21 driving incidents against City of Grand Rapids driver, Mlive.com, January 30, 2010
Dead Bicyclist's Family Sues City Of Grand Rapids & Dump Truck Driver, Fox 17 Online, January 30, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Truck Safety Coalition
According to witnesses, the 2007 Freightliner and the 2010 Chevrolet passenger van were both going north on Interstate 65 when the van attempted to drive onto the shoulder. The blue truck, which one person says appears to have been weaving, hit the van from the rear, which caused the smaller vehicle to drive off the road, where it turned over.
Two of the van’s passengers, Sujal D. Patel and Vijay R. Patel, both 20, were pronounced dead at the truck crash site. 16 other van passengers were transported to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Several of the truck crash victims are children. While some of the van passengers sustained minor scratches, other passengers sustained serious injuries. The tractor-trailer driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his minor injuries.
Following the deadly tractor-trailer crash, the portion of Interstate 65 where the accident happened was shut down for five hours. An investigation is being conducted to determine what caused the deadly semi-truck crash.
Large Truck Accidents
If you were involved in Chicago tractor-trailer accident that you believe was the other party’s fault, you should contact a Cook County truck accident attorney immediately. There may be multiple parties that you should sue for Chicago, Illinois personal injury or wrongful death. This is not the type of injury case that you should handle without legal help.
Two dead in interstate accident, WTHR, January 25, 2010
Truck strikes van carrying Chicago-area family, killing 2, Chicago Breaking News, January 24, 2010
Related Web Resource:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The deadly large truck crash happened at around 4am on I-65 close to US 231 when their pickup truck was smashed between two semi-trailers as traffic slowed. Stover, who was unable to stop in time, rear-ended the Workmans' pickup truck with his semi-truck, pushing it into the other large truck. Stover's semi-trailer was transporting 65,000 pounds of cargo, while the truck in front of the Workman's vehicle contained a load of coil rod weighing about 50,000 pounds. Following the collision, pickup truck caught fire.
The Lake County coroner said each family member died from blunt force trauma. They also sustained serious burn injuries on their bodies. The Workmans were going on a trip to see Brian’s mother and visit Disney World when the catastrophic truck accident happened.
Semi-Truck Accident Lawsuits
Losing someone you love—let alone multiple family members—in a traffic crash is tragic and ruins the lives of the victims and surviving relatives. It is all the more devastating to know that your loved ones would still be alive today if it weren't for another party’s negligent or careless actions—even if there was no malice intended.
Truck drivers are aware that the size and weight of their vehicles can place smaller vehicles at a disadvantage during a a truck collision. This is one of the many reasons why truckers must drive carefully and pay attention to the road and traffic around them.
Because so many truck crashes occur every year, trucking companies are prepared to deal with liability claims. You do not want to try pursuing Illinois wrongful death compensation from a negligent trucking company without legal help.
Mother, brother sue trucker, company, say driver was negligent, NWITimes.com, January 23, 2010
Fiery Crash Kills Mom, Dad, 3 Kids on Interstate, NBC Chicago, June 26, 2009
Related Web Resources:
The Dangers of Large Trucks, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
Truck Accidents, Justia
]]> In Cook County, Will County, Lake County, and DuPage County, contact our Chicago, Illinois truck accident lawyers.]]>The fatal tractor-trailer collision happened on Interstate Highway 70 when the large truck formed a jackknife, crossing over the median to meet oncoming traffic. Killed in the truck crash were bus passengers Kenny Fry, Alonson Ruffin, Traci Williams, and Lonnie Acton. Six other bus passengers were injured. Wieckowski, a Chicago resident, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
Jackknife Truck Crashes
Truck driver inattention, distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, texting while driving, talking on the cell phone, and truck part malfunctions can force the trucker to suddenly step on the brakes, causing the vehicle to jackknife into a V formation, block the road, and strike approaching vehicles. This type of truck collision can prove catastrophic for other motorists, who may find it impossible to avoid colliding with this massive vehicle that has suddenly come swinging at them. Jackknife truck collisions can involve multiple vehicles, causing pileups and resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries.
Speeding, the factor cited in this particular truck crash, always increases the chances of a motor vehicle crash occurring. This is why it is so important for large truck drivers to pay attention and abide by the speed limit. It is usually the other motorists and pedestrians that suffer because a trucker did not follow traffic laws or was negligent in other ways.
4 dead when Chicago trucker jackknifes, hits van in Ohio, WGNTV.com, January 8, 2010
Truck speed cited in crash with special needs bus, Washington Post, January 22, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration