Cedar Rapids, IA — Two drivers were hospitalized following a semi-truck accident in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, December 29, 2014. The accident took place near the intersection of Highway 13 and Hess Lane, around 2:15 in the morning.
Debra Kiser had the flashers of her semi-truck on and was pulling off to the side of Highway 13 when she was rear-ended by another semi being driven by Joe Lomax. Lomax claime that he didn’t seen Kiser pulling off the highway.
Emergency workers took both drivers to Mercy Hospital. Officials have described the injuries sustained by both as non-life-threatening.
Police are currently investigating the crash, and had Highway 13 at Hess Lane closed off for several hours while the wreckage was cleared away.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Liability in accidents like this isn’t to hard to pin down. Unfortunately, what seems to have happened here is that one driver just wasn’t paying attention to the road ahead of them. What’s unfortunate about an accident like this, especially since it involves two semi-trucks, is that the trucking company is still likely to defend their driver. I’ve seen accident after accident in which a semi-truck is responsible for what’s happened, and this has really become a typical occurrence. Why would a trucking company defend an accident they caused? Several reasons. One is that these vehicles are insured for a lot of money, and the company can’t afford to just leave that on the table. Being found liable for an accident like this can have a big impact on a company’s ability to do business. If the company is small enough, that can be disastrous. So they fight. Proving an accident like this takes evidence. Unfortunately, more evidence than a police investigation is typically able to provide. In light of that, private investigations are always going to be a preferred course of action.
— Grossman Law Offices