According to local reports a man was injured in a single-vehicle tractor trailer accident in Liberty Township Ohio on Wednesday September 7. The accident occurred before 4:40 a.m. when Robert E. Weirick was injured after one of the trailers he was hauling flipped over a bridge causing part of the rig to dangle over the bridge rail. A witness said Weirick escaped the rig but suffered some burns after the rig ignited. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center with non-life threatening injuries.
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Commentary
I will be frank and tell you that a fair portion of my work comes from defending motorists in accidents with semis but my firm has also represented truckers who have been injured because of a faulty rig. Im not sure if that is the case here but I find it interesting how the news feed phrases this accident as the trailer leading the single-vehicle accident. Without question an independent investigation needs to be conducted by an expert in the field of tractor trailer mechanics. A worn tire that blows out or brakes that go unserviced could implicate a trucking company with liability. It is difficult for me to convey just how many times we see 18-wheeler accidents caused by the failure to service a fleet member. Some companies (and it should be stressed only some) get caught up in a haul-or-nothing approach to trucking leading to an environment where safety is lacking.
Im speculating here as to the cause of this accident but what Im trying to do here is relay to my readers how semi truck accidents are only accidents to the casual observer. Typically they are really a multitude of contingencies that are only discoverable via a proper investigation.
Texas Personal Injury Attorney Michael Grossman
