FORT WAYNE, Indiana – A two-vehicle crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck killed two people on Thursday, November 17, 2022. The fatal accident occurred around 2:00 p.m. on US 24, just east of I-469.
According to initial reports, the SUV driver slowed down as the car approached a construction zone but was struck from behind by the semi-truck.
When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, two SUV occupants had passed away. A third occupant was immediately transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The driver of the semi-truck was uninjured.
An investigation into this accident is ongoing. No additional information is currently available.
The semi-truck driver and trucking company must be held accountable for this tragic loss.
Hundreds of automobile accidents happen daily, and innocent lives are lost. Others endure life-long pain and physical impairments from injuries sustained in a car crash. In accidents involving big rigs, the risk of death and injury increases dramatically. When a truck driver's negligence causes a crash, the law must hold all responsible parties accountable to get the grieving families the answers and compensation they deserve after such an unexpected loss.
Negligence occurs when an individual has a duty to others, breaches that duty, and causes damages or injury. Although we do not know all the facts of this accident, it seems clear that the truck driver acted negligently in striking the SUV. After all, truckers have an obligation, like all other drivers, to avoid collisions with other vehicles. This truck driver failed to stop before hitting the SUV, thereby breaching that duty, and caused the death of two innocent people and another's severe injuries. The apparent negligence in this crash is inexcusable, and the victims' families must act to identify and obtain compensation from all responsible parties.
Identifying parties in truck accidents can be tricky, however, and often requires an independent investigation into the accident to determine the scope of each party's responsibility. For example, our firm frequently finds that the trucking company, in addition to the truck driver, is accountable for the truck driver's negligent actions. Truck drivers often lack the appropriate training at the time of the crash, which can be traced back to the driver's employer. In other cases, commercial trucking companies have failed to properly vet candidates for hire, resulting in underqualified drivers behind the wheel of massive vehicles. These oversights cannot be tolerated and are often brought to light by skilled personal injury attorneys investigating crashes.
With the help of an experienced lawyer, victims' families can succeed in bringing negligence claims against identified parties to receive answers and help prevent the same negligent behavior from continuing. Additionally, grieving families may obtain compensation from commercial trucking companies' insurance policies to help offset the financial costs associated with an unexpected loss.
This is a tragic loss, and we offer our deepest condolences to the families affected by this horrific crash.