Bennington, NE — Two men were hospitalized following a semi-truck crash in Bennington, Nebraska, on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. The accident took place on Highway 136, near 161st Street.
Around 1:30 in the afternoon, police say that 56-year-old Janice Noto was headed west, and had slowed to make a left-hand turn. At the last moment, she decided against it and came into the right lane, directly into the path of a semi-truck being driven by 46-year-old Edward Trotter.
Trotter attempted to avoid a collision, but clipped Noto’s vehicle. This sent his truck off the side of the road, where it rolled over and caught fire. Trotter sustained minor injuries in the crash. His passenger, identified as 21-year-old Blaine Rageth, suffered serious injuries, including burns to his legs. Both were taken to a nearby hospital.
Police are currently investigating the accident.
Scene of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary
How this accident is handled is going to depend on a couple of things. Obviously, it seems as if the driver in the passenger car is at fault. However, since the driver of the truck was on the job, he would be entitled to workers’ comp benefits for his injuries. If his passenger was a co-worker, he would also be entitled to those same benefits. Both men would also have an injury claim against the other driver for causing the accident. Because she seems to have caused a great deal of damage, it’s possible her insurance won’t cover the total cost, and the victims would want to see if their employer carried UIM coverage. UIM stands for “uninsured motorist.” UIM coverage is a policy that steps in and covers what an at-fault party can’t in accidents such as this one.
Obviously, this accident has a lot of moving parts to it. And a lot of questions will need to be answered before anyone knows exactly how it would be handled.
— Grossman Law Offices
