According to Bastrop County authorities, a 70-year-old Austin woman was killed on U.S. 290 around 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 16 in Paige, Texas. A semi-truck was carrying a load of rocks and traveling east when its driver lost control after braking to avoid hitting another semitrailer that was in front of it and waiting to turn. The truck carrying the rocks crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic, and its load spilled onto the roadway. One of the rocks hit the car in which the victim was a passenger, and she died in the crash that ensued.
The woman’s husband was driving the car when the truck accident took place, and he was flown to University Medical Center Brackenridge. One of the truck drivers suffered minor injuries and was transported to St. David’s Hospital in Bastrop.
Pursuing Damages After a Texas Truck Accident
When people are injured in motor-vehicle accidents, they can enlist the help of Austin personal injury lawyers to prepare a claim for damages. Additionally, family members of fatal accident victims may wish to retain such attorneys to file wrongful death claims after their loved ones die in car crashes.
With respect to civil litigation, Texas is a modified comparative fault state with a 51 percent bar rule. This means that if a plaintiff of a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is found to have been 51 percent or more at fault for the incident in question, that party is ineligible to recover damages. If a plaintiff is 50 percent at fault or less, damages may be awarded. However, the amount awarded will be reduced by the percentage of fault that lies with the plaintiff.
If you have questions about truck accident liability or your rights as a victim, feel free to contact our Austin truck accident attorney at The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC. Your initial consultation is free.
Source: KXAN.com, ‘Woman killed on 290 when rock crashes through window,” Melanie Price, Sept. 16, 2014
