As some residents of the Baton Rouge area may have already heard, a severe truck accident in another state claimed the lives of 4 people and left several other people injured, including 2 people who suffered injuries authorities described as serious.
The accident received national media attention not only because of its severity, but also because it ended in a massive conflagration on the interstate. The blaze engulfed the truck and also burned several other vehicles, forcing the closure of the interstate for several hours.
The truck driver responsible for plowing in to a traffic jam on the highway is facing 40 criminal charges related to the accident and may have to spend decades in prison. At the time of the crash, the driver had a valid commercial license. Prosecutors indicate that, while he did not act intentionally, the trucker was travelling 85 miles per hour in a 45 mph speed zone. They also said that several witnesses had come forward reporting that the truck driver was weaving in and out of traffic and operating recklessly right before the accident.
Through his attorney, the trucker indicates that his brakes failed, hence the reason he could not slow down and thus had to start weaving through traffic. While this defense may work for the trucker in his criminal case, when it comes to paying compensation for victims, suffice it to say that, at least in Louisiana, a speeding truck driver is a speeding truck driver. If he or she causes a truck accident, he or she is responsible.
In other words, whether the driver really is just driving with no regard for the safety of other or is trying to respond to an emergency mechanical problem, like bad brakes, the point is that drivers and their trucking companies have to be sure both are properly equipped to drive at safe and appropriate speeds. In cases like these, whether the brakes went out or the driver made a bad judgment call, victims can pursue compensation via legal means.
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