Greenville, VA — A trucker was hospitalized following a single-vehicle accident in Greenville, Virginia, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. The accident took place in the 600 block of US-340, around 3:30 in the afternoon.
Police say that the driver — who has yet to be named — was headed south when he lost control of his truck. He drove off the road and down an embankment, where the truck crashed in a wooded area.
The truck was hauling a load of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups at the time of the crash. The collision caused the truck to catch on the fire. The driver was able to remove himself from the vehicle before it was consumed by the flames.
Witnesses to the accident said that the driver was driving erratically in the minutes before the crash.
The accident is still being investigated.
Scene of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary
This accident involves an 18-wheeler that rolled over, so I think it’s worth looking into the possibility that the truck just wasn’t loaded properly. Often, if a truck’s haul isn’t loaded correctly, it can shift while the vehicle is out on the road, and in some cases, cause the truck to roll over.
How does this affect liability? Well, it’s often the case that a truck driver isn’t responsible for loading his own truck. That is often handled by third parties. If those third parties don’t properly do their jobs and a truck driver is hurt because of it, then liability for the accident could potentially fall on them.
— Grossman Law Offices