One of the most dangerous positions Ohio drivers can find themselves in is facing off with a vehicle heading toward them in the wrong direction. Wrong-way vehicle accidents often turn deadly. However, the odds of such an accident turning deadly increase when one of the vehicles involved is an 18-wheeler.
For instance, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a recent crash on Interstate 90 westbound. Preliminary reports indicate that an 18-wheeler headed eastbound on the interstate careened through the median into the westbound lanes. Once there, it slammed into a vehicle head-on. The truck then hit a guardrail before finally came to a stop and caught fire.
Three people occupied that vehicle. One of them, a 74-year-old woman, died as a result of the injuries she suffered in the crash. The other two suffered injuries serious enough to require being removed from the scene via helicopter. The truck driver and his passenger managed to escape the truck before it caught fire. It is not yet known whether the truck driver will face charges in connection with the accident.
Even if police do not charge the truck driver, the family of the deceased woman and the two injured occupants may file wrongful death and personal injury claims, as appropriate, in an Ohio civil court. If the evidence provided to the court proves that the truck driver’s negligence led to the death and injuries suffered in this crash, damages may be awarded by the court. Those damages could cover the financial losses typically seen in these types of vehicle accidents.
