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Family Involved in Highway 101 Big-Rig Accident Files Lawsuit
It’s been a year since a family was rescued from a BMW that was left dangling precariously from a bridge on Highway 101 near Buellton after it was struck by a gravel truck. Now, the family is suing the estate of the truck driver, who died in the fiery crash, and the trucking company that he worked for, seeking damages for personal injuries and emotional distress.
The incident occurred on Jan. 12, 2012, when the tractor-trailer rear-ended the sedan while they were both heading north on Highway 101. A mother and two children, ages 10 and 10 weeks were in the BMW sedan at the time.
After the collision, the truck plummeted some 100 feet into a creek bed. It burst into flames and the driver was killed. It was later determined the 48-year-old truck driver had been under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the accident.
Rescue workers — aided by Navy Seabees who used a forklift to keep the teetering sedan from falling off the bridge and into the creek bed below — were able to extricate the family. They were all transported to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. The mother and the oldest daughter spent eight days in the hospital before they were released. The infant was uninjured.
The family’s attorney claims the trucking company, R&R Auto Wrecking, was negligent for hiring the truck driver, alleging the driver had a long criminal record of drug abuse. He says that his clients are still suffering from the emotional and physical ramifications of the accident.
“Their Injuries are permanent,” he told Noozhawk.com.
If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a negligent truck driver, the truck accident attorneys in Santa Barbara at the Law Offices of Renée J. Nordstrand will aggressively work for you to see that any negligent parties are held accountable for their actions. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, hospitalization, emotional distress and other damages.
For a free, no-obligation review of your case, call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or contact us online to discuss what we can do to protect your legal rights.
Buellton Truck Crash Kills One, Injures Three
A fiery big rig accident on the northbound 101 highway at Santa Rosa road resulted in three injuries and the death of the big rig driver on Thursday afternoon, according to KEYT.com. Santa Barbara County Fire, water tenders, a battalion chief, helicopter, AMR and Hazmat team responded to the crash.
The fatal accident occurred when, for as of yet unknown reasons, a big rig veered out of control and hit a BMW in the lane to its left before crashing into the concrete guardrail and falling into the creek about 50 feet below. The truck burst into flames after smashing into the creek bed. The occupants of the BMW, a 38-year-old mother and her two children, a 10-year-old daughter and 10-week-old infant, were trapped in the vehicle, which was precariously dangling off the side of a bridge after the truck had swerved into it.
The truck driver was killed in the crash, which also caused the spillage of about 50 gallons of diesel fuel into the creek. All three occupants of the BMW, who sustained broken bones and other moderate injuries, were immediately transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Both directions of the 101 were closed due to the crash.
Though the cause of this accident has not yet been determined, there are many potential reasons why a big rig may lose control. Truck driver fatigue is a common problem in the trucking industry and it is possible that the driver fell asleep at the wheel after too many hours on the road. There are many other possibilities, however, that are not related to truck driver negligence. Some of these include: hazardous road conditions, brake failure, and/or mechanical or equipment defects.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a California truck accident caused by the negligence of a truck driver, trucking company or truck manufacturer, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses you have suffered. To learn more about your legal rights and options, contact an experienced Santa Barbara truck accident attorney with the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand today for a consultation at (805) 962-2022.