BEAUMONT, Texas—A 32-year-old man from Vidor died in a multi-vehicle collision on I-10 at Laurel Street in Beaumont, Texas. The accident happened around 5:50 a.m. on October 25, 2022.
According to initial reports, an 18-wheeler carrying U.S. mail was traveling northeast on I-10 and suddenly lost control of the truck. The big rig struck the center divider, knocked it into the southwest lanes, and hit a 2016 Ford Escape. The driver of the Escape, a 32-year-old man, was killed upon impact.
The center divider also hit a GMC Sierra pickup, but the pickup driver escaped the crash uninjured. The semi-truck driver was taken to Beaumont hospital to treat minor injuries.
The accident resulted in the closure of I-10 near the accident site for nearly five hours.
The decedent’s family will need more answers to understand the exact cause of the crash
Although the facts of the crash are sparse, the family of the victim driving the Ford Escape will likely want to know how the 18-wheeler lost control in the first place. It is generally uncommon for semi-truck drivers to lose control of their vehicles unless distracted or otherwise taken off-guard by a mechanical or tire failure. If this trucker was simply distracted, such actions must be accounted for.
However, while some accidents might result from driver distraction, families must be aware of alternative causes of semi-truck accidents, including some failures due to manufacturing defects. For instance, semi-truck manufacturers sometimes design steering axles inadequately, resulting in the inability of the axle to handle long trips or numerous turns. Additionally, tire manufacturers might fail to check large tires for quality control, leaving truck drivers at risk of blowing a tire and suddenly veering off-course.
Even less apparent are manufacturing defects in electronic systems that can cause the truck to depart its lane suddenly. When manufacturers fail to design or make parts and trucks that are safe to drive, they can be held responsible for the injuries and deaths that are caused when semi-trucks malfunction.
Of course, some manufacturing defects are challenging to detect, especially when sorting through evidence at a crash site. Thus, authorities tend to overlook manufacturing defects as a potential cause of the crash and look to more apparent causes (like distraction or driver error) to fill in the gaps. With only one determined cause, victims’ families face a choice: to either sue the truck driver for negligence or shoulder the financial burden of their loved one’s unexpected loss without assistance. In reality, there are many other options families can pursue.
By consulting with an attorney and initiating an independent investigation into the cause of the crash, victims’ families can get more answers as to the cause of the collision. Families can then bring legal claims against commercial trucking companies or manufacturers. Larger entities typically carry insurance that may contribute towards compensating families for the death of their loved one, which can make all the difference for grieving families going through such a difficult time.
Additionally, holding these large corporations accountable encourages better safety training and practices, which leads to safer roadways across the country.
The Ammons Law Firm is a nationwide personal injury firm focused on catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Contact the Ammons Law Firm today for a free accident review.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
