Orange County, TX — Robert Doiron has been identified as the passenger in a fatal 18-wheeler accident in Orange County, Texas, on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. The accident took place on Interstate 10, just east of Highway 62, around 4:15 in the afternoon.
According to witnesses, traffic on I-10 had come to a stop. An 18-wheeler being driven by Robert McElveen failed to stop. The truck swerved at the last minute, hit the median, and flipped in mid-air before it crashed and exploded.
McElveen and Doiron were the only two inside the truck at the time. McElveen was killed. Doiron suffered serious burns and was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch’s burn center.
Two others were injured in the accident. Joseph and Rhonda Knockum were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital. The two have been listed in stable condition. The accident is still being investigated.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
A lot of what happens going forward depends on who the passenger in the 18-wheeler works for. If he, like the driver, is an employee of the company that owns the truck, then this would be handled through the company’s workers’ comp policy. That is to say, an insurance policy that will cover damages and injuries. If the passenger were just a friend of the driver’s, or not directly related to the company, then he would be able to file a claim against them.
A passenger’s rights are often overlooked in an accident like this. Of course, people in other vehicles suffered injury, but the passenger in the offending vehicle wasn’t liable for the driver’s failure to stop his truck. A driver has an obligation to create a safe environment for the people he’s transporting, and that didn’t happen in this case. So, assuming the passenger wasn’t an employee of the trucking company, the company would then be liable for his injuries. If it turns out that he is an employee, then this would also be handled through the company’s workers’ comp policy.
— Grossman Law Offices