EASTERN SHORE, VA – An accident on the Eastern Shore of Virginia has resulted in a loss of life.
At approximately 7:10 p.m., a collision unfolded on Route 14, also known as Lankford Highway, at the intersection with Daugherty Road. The incident involved a pickup truck and a tractor-trailer.
Upon preliminary investigation, authorities determined that the collision was caused by a driver’s failure to yield the right of way when crossing through the intersection. The driver of the pickup truck, in an attempt to cross the intersection of Route 13 and Daugherty Road, did not yield to oncoming traffic. This led to a collision with a tractor-trailer, resulting in an impact on the passenger side of the pickup truck.
Both vehicles veered off the road in the aftermath of the collision. The pickup truck driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the car and sustained fatal injuries.
The Virginia State Police have identified the victim as 43-year-old Eduardo Marvin Simon-Gabriel from Accomack County.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was unharmed.
More Details Needed to Know If Truck Driver Could Have Helped Prevent this Accident
Sadly, accidents like the one involving Mr. Simon-Gabriel happen all the time. Each year, 5,700 people die in large truck accidents (National Safety Council, 2023). This somber number serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety and vigilance, especially at intersections. It is important to note that even though it is the responsibility of all motorists to respect the laws of the road for safety purposes and drivers must yield the right of way, other motorists also have a duty to avoid crashing into other drivers.
Our firm had a client with a similar scenario. The family failed to yield properly; however, dash cam footage showed the driver on his phone, preventing him from taking evasive action to avoid the accident. While both drivers made a mistake, our client was killed, and the trucker walked away without injury. This accident, like that one, if left uninvestigated by trained professionals, will never provide a complete picture of what happened.
When people are distracted by their phones or are fatigued, they may be unable to prevent an accident. When this happens, the accident may also be the motorist’s fault, who failed to avoid the collision.
There are additional concerns about this accident that need further investigation. More details are necessary to make sure everything was done to prevent this accident — from both parties. In this incident, if the truck driver failed to prevent this accident if able to do so, he may be partially responsible for his negligible actions.
Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Simon-Gabriel during this challenging time.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
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.
