Seagrove, NC — An accident between an 18-wheeler and a maintenance truck caused one man to be airlifted to a local hospital in Seagrove, North Carolina, on Saturday. Reports show the accident taking place on Interstate 73/74, around 4:15 in the afternoon.
A Shuler Meats 18-wheeler being driven by Timothy Samuel rear-ended a TMI maintenance truck. The maintenance truck rolled over, trapping the driver inside. Joshua Tate had to be extricated by emergency workers, then taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. His injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.
The accident caused Samuel’s 18-wheeler to catch fire. The driver was able to get out in time and was not injured.
Police have charged Samuel with failure to reduce speed.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
From the reports I’ve read, as well as the fact that police have already charged the driver of the 18-wheeler, it seems as if he’s at fault for the accident. If you’re driving at a safe speed, as well as a safe distance away from the driver in front of you, rear-ending someone is going to be very difficult. It usually happens when you’re following someone too closely or not paying attention to the road in front of you. Because the 18-wheeler was found at fault, the trucking company would be liable for the damages. I would say that hopefully, the company would just step up and make things right, however, when trucking companies are involved, things are rarely that simple. It’s unfortunate, but after these sorts of accidents, trucking companies are usually trying to figure out how they can push liability onto the other party.
— Grossman Law Offices
