MIDLAND, Texas — Granvil Oden was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash involving his vehicle and two semi-trucks.
Mr. Oden was driving west on IH-20 when a semi-truck driver lost control of the truck, crossed over the center median, and crashed head-on into Mr. Oden’s Jeep. A second semi-truck was struck by debris from the crash, but the driver was not injured.
The driver of the first semi-truck was treated for injuries at a nearby hospital and later released. Mr. Oden sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
The crash is still being investigated, and no further information was immediately available.
One killed after truck loses control on IH-20 in Midland
Our firm is all too familiar with cases like this. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go to Mr. Oden’s loved ones, and we are grateful no other drivers were injured or killed in this incident. While the cause of the crash is still being investigated, we know that the semi-truck driver somehow lost control of the vehicle.
To formulate a legal strategy and ensure the appropriate parties are held responsible, we must consider all possible scenarios that could have caused this accident. Our firm handles 18-wheeler crashes across Texas and has found accidents following a loss of control are generally caused by bad tires or driver error.
The most likely scenario is that the truck driver was distracted or tired. This behavior is clearly negligent, and the trucker and employer must account for such actions.
On the other hand, commercial vehicles often lose control after a sudden blowout of the steer axle tire. Should the investigation show that a bad steer axle was the reason the driver lost control in this instance, Mr. Oden’s family may be able to recover against the employer, a repair shop, or the manufacturer of the tire.
Tires that are worn or past their useful life, tires that are being used incorrectly on the vehicle or tires that have not been properly installed are all common causes of a driver’s loss of control. Employers are required to provide drivers with vehicles that are in working order and are required to keep up to date with routine maintenance. We often see these accidents happen when employers fail to meet those requirements, putting their drivers and other motorists at risk.
It is important to have a legal team investigate this accident to determine the cause of the crash. If this accident was simply a driver error, the driver and company need to be held responsible for the harm caused by their actions. If a faulty or defective tire caused the accident, the manufacturer or other responsible party must be held responsible to prevent similar incidents. Regardless of the cause, Mr. Oden was killed at no fault of his own, and his grieving family deserves answers.
Disclaimer: Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources and has not been independently verified. Please contact our firm immediately with any questions or concerns. This content is not legal advice or counsel.