TREGO COUNTY, Kansas—One man was injured after his semi-truck was struck by another’s loose wheels on I-70. The accident occurred around 4:50 p.m. on I-70.
Reportedly, a 72-year-old Texas man driving a semi-truck eastbound on I-70 unexpectedly lost a set of tires off his big rig. The tires traveled across the median divider and hit another westbound semi-truck on its side, causing the driver of that semi-truck to swerve off the road and into a ditch.
The driver of the second semi-truck was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The driver of the eastbound semi-truck was not hurt.
Investigation into this accident is ongoing. No additional information is currently available.
This specific tire failure must be thoroughly investigated to ensure the injured man received the compensation he is owed
At first glance, this seems like a tragic mistake. After all, we do not see entire sets of wheels falling off semi-trucks for no apparent reason. Perhaps that is because, in this modern day and age, wheels do not fall off semi-trucks for no reason. In fact, it is easier to reconcile this accident with the fact that whoever installed the tires on this semi-truck did so improperly.
If the driver of the first semi-truck was employed by a commercial trucking company, there is a strong likelihood that the company or someone responsible for the maintenance of the semi-truck could be held liable for the injuries suffered by the victim of the crash. Trucking companies are supposed to maintain their trucks in safe working conditions for their drivers. One of the most common repairs on semi-trucks is the replacement of their tires. For this, trucking companies often contract with a certain repair shop to regularly change their semi-truck’s tires. Thus, if the injured driver is able to demonstrate that the repair shop failed to install the set of tires correctly on the first big rig, the driver could collect compensation from the tire repair shop. Additionally, if the victim can show that the trucking company had reason to believe the truck’s tires were not serviced properly, the injured driver could bring a claim against both the tire repair shop and the trucking company.
Of course, the injured victim will need to talk with an attorney to analyze the crash and request relevant documentation, such as repair logs and company maintenance protocol. Our firm offers these investigatory services and more, representing hundreds of injured persons in crashes every year. Should any wrongdoing be uncovered here (as is likely the case), our experienced attorneys can help the injured navigate the complexities of our legal system to ensure that any and all responsible parties are held accountable for their actions.
