OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan- Two people were injured in a crash that involved an overturned gravel hauler on I-96 in Oakland County, Michigan.
The cause of the crash has not been determined, but Michigan State Police arrived on the scene to find a semi-truck gravel hauler lying on its side and debris blocking all eastbound travel lanes.
Authorities also estimated that over 200 gallons of fuel leaked from the truck. The driver of the semi-truck and the driver of another vehicle were taken to Novi Providence hospital for treatment.
Michigan State Police are conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.
No additional information was immediately available.
Potential remedies available to victims of preventable crashes
While we do not have enough information about this crash to determine fault or begin speculating too deeply about potential legal theories for those who were injured, this accident is an example of the need for an independent legal investigation. According to a study by the FMCSA, roughly 45% of crashes involving a truck and a passenger vehicle are caused by the truck, and 55% are caused by the other vehicle. Of those caused by the truck, roughly 85% are caused by trucker error, and 10% are caused by issues with the truck itself. Given that multiple people were injured in this accident, it will be important to determine exactly what happened to ensure the injured parties receive the compensation they need to cover medical bills and account for the pain and suffering they must endure because of their injuries.
Accidents like this generally happen because someone engaged in negligent behavior. Whether the semi-truck driver’s employer failed to load the cargo properly or failed to properly train the driver, whether the driver engaged in negligent behavior like texting and driving, or whether there was a mechanical failure or a design defect in some aspect of the vehicle, the victims deserve to know who was negligent and who is responsible for their injuries.
We are not suggesting that official investigations are ineffective, but the reality is that the agencies conducting those investigations are often doing so with limited resources. This means they may stop at the first identified cause, depriving victims of the complete picture of what caused the accident and depriving them of a full financial recovery. No one should be stuck with the bill for someone else’s negligence, and no suffering should go uncompensated.
