HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – An occupant of a small passenger car was killed on November 17, 2022, after the vehicle struck a parked semi-truck around 9:30 a.m. at 19300 US Highway 90, near Sheldon Road.
Reportedly, a semi-truck carrying an oversized mobile home trailer was parked along US 90. A passenger vehicle traveling eastbound on the highway became lodged underneath the mobile home after crashing into the rear of the parked semi-truck’s trailer.
Police later confirmed at least one person died in the crash. Other injuries are unknown.
An investigation into the accident is ongoing. No additional information about the crash is publicly available.
The family of the deceased deserves answers and justice
At first glance, one may assume the passenger car is at fault in this crash because the car ran into the back of the semi-truck. However, the truck driver cannot escape liability simply because the oversized load was parked. Trucks are prohibited from parking on the shoulders of most highways by federal regulations. Therefore, the victim’s family would likely succeed in obtaining compensation from both the truck driver and the trucking company, which might deter other truckers from parking illegally in the future.
While traveling on the roadway, oversized loads pose a risk of harm to other drivers due to their abnormally large size. However, when parked on the side of the highway, the risk of injury increases substantially. Federal regulations attempt to limit this risk by prohibiting semi-trucks from parking on the sides of roads.
Commercial trucking companies are responsible for training their drivers about pertinent regulations and ensuring they know how to handle emergencies appropriately. When a truck driver negligently parks an oversized trailer on the side of the road, the driver’s employer, a commercial trucking company, can be held liable for any damages. Here, further investigation may reveal whether the trucking company failed to train its driver about the dangers of parking on the side of the highway.
Experienced attorneys can help victims’ families by investigating accidents involving semi-trucks. Rather than limiting their investigation to the crash site, attorneys can sift through company training logs, safety protocols, and driving records to determine whether a trucker was adequately trained before the accident.
Should any wrongdoing be discovered on the part of the trucking company, the victim’s family will likely succeed in obtaining compensation from both the trucker and the employer. Often, commercial trucking companies carry insurance designated explicitly for compensating victims and their loved ones, which can significantly affect a family’s ability to recover following the sudden passing of a loved one. Therefore, once an attorney identifies all responsible parties, victims’ families can seek monetary damages from those accountable for their loved one’s death.
Not only can victims’ families receive compensation, but negligence claims can help send a message to other trucking companies and truck drivers, highlighting the necessity to train drivers adequately and to follow all federal regulations to avoid catastrophic consequences.
