An official report concerning the crash of two semi-trailers on Texas Highway 163 near Barnhart in Irion County on Sept. 4 has been released. The document says that the first vehicle was pulling a semi-trailer that was loaded with wooden planks, and the second truck was pulling a trailer that contained crude oil.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety investigative report, the 43-year-old driver of the plank-hauling tractor-trailer made a U-turn on the highway as the other vehicle was approaching while heading northbound. The 56-year-old San Angelo man who was driving the other vehicle tried to avoid a collision. However, he was unable to do so and hit the 43-year-old’s tractor-trailer on its left side. After impact, the crude oil hauler turned over onto its passenger side, while the other vehicle remained upright. Both vehicles burst into flames, killing the drivers. A passenger escaped the fire in the vehicle hauling planks and was airlifted to the hospital. She has since been identified as the driver’s wife, according to reports.
Big rigs hauling heavy and sometimes combustible loads are obligated to obey safe driving practices. Traffic maneuvers easily made by smaller vehicles may be less than appropriate in larger ones. If a driver abandons the duty of care owed to other motorists, he or she might be considered negligent and liable in a civil suit.
Taking Legal Action After a Fatal Truck Accident
In a similar case, an Austin injury attorney may assist the family of an individual killed by a negligent driver by evaluating the truck accident and determining negligence. By filing a wrongful death suit, the attorney may help a family recover compensatory damages that cover funeral costs and lost wages.
For more information on your rights as the surviving family of a fatal truck accident victim, contact The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC. Your first consultation with our Austin truck accident lawyer is free of charge.
Source: San Angelo LIVE, “Official Report Identifies the Dead in Irion County Semi-Truck Collision“, Joe Hyde, September 04, 2014
