A recent series of accidents involving multiple tractor trailers is illustrative of the amount of devastation that can occur when more than one of these massive vehicles is involved in a wreck. This particular accident sent three truck drivers to the hospital with minor injuries after a series of events resulted in a total of three tractor trailers becoming involved in the mess.
Accidents like this one, which involve multiple collisions, are often referred to as chain reaction accidents. This particular accident started when an eighteen-wheeler loaded with bricks crossed the median on I-22. As it crossed the median, the truck broke through the cable style guardrail and crossed the other side of the highway, dragging the guardrail cables with it, until it finally came to rest in the woods. This event left the guardrail cables on the road, where another tractor trailer became entangled in them and subsequently veered into the median.
The second truck did not go completely into the median, and its trailer was partially in the roadway. A third eighteen-wheeler collided with the second, causing the driver of the second truck, who had been attempting to untangle his vehicle from the metal cables, to get hit by his truck. It took the Mississippi Department of Transportation hours to remove the wreckage from the roadway, especially the truck that had gone into the woods. Several trees had to be cut down for that vehicle to be removed from the accident scene.
Accidents involving tractor trailers often cause more property damage and more severe injuries than accidents where only passenger vehicles are involved. When two or more tractor trailers are involved in an accident, the stakes are even higher. The risk for accidents involving multiple tractor trailers is highest during morning and evening commute times when roads are most crowded. There are many ways in which other tractor trailers can pile onto a wrecked tractor trailer. For example, a tractor trailer can rear-end a wrecked eighteen-wheeler, or it can collide with another vehicle as the driver tries to navigate around a wreck.
The aforementioned accident resulted in minor injuries, but many other crashes that involve more than one eighteen-wheeler lead to severe injuries and sometimes even one or more fatalities. Since any accident involving a tractor trailer also involves the trucking company that owns the truck, accidents involving multiple tractor trailers can quickly become complicated and difficult to resolve because of the number of parties – drivers, passengers in trucks and other vehicles, trucking companies and insurers involved. Anyone who was involved in an accident involving multiple tractor trailers will benefit from seeking assistance from a Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorney who can help them navigate the complexities of a multi-party claims process.
Barrett Law PLLC: Supporting Trucking Accident Victims and Their Families
If you or someone that you love got hurt or killed in a crash involving multiple tractor-trailers, it is important to select an attorney who is skilled in handling trucking accident cases. The dedicated Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC might be able to help you with your trucking accident case. To find out more about what we could do to help you, please call our office today, at 1 (800) 707-9577, to schedule a free consultation.