In March of this year, one person died and three others suffered injuries in connection with a crash along Interstate 35 near mile marker 286 in Salado, Texas. The accident occurred when an oversized tractor trailer hit a beam of the overpass bridge that was under construction.
According to officials, a piece of equipment from the trailer struck the bridge, which caused two beams to become dislodged and fall into the road, trapping several vehicles. Five vehicles were involved in the accident and the road was shut down for several hours. A man driving a pickup truck involved in the accident died.
Following the accident, officials from the Texas Department of Transportation did not believe that speed factored into the accident. Instead, TxDot officials believed that truck or its load may have been too tall for the bridge, which allegedly had a clearance of 14 and 1/2 inches. There were apparently other signs that warned drivers that clearance was 13 feet 6 inches. The truck, however, measured 14 feet and 7 inches, which is 7 inches above the maximum height allowed by TxDOT before a special permit is required.
Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The family of the man killed in the accident has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in connection with the accident. The man’s mother and two surviving children are seeking damages in their lawsuit filed in a Dallas County Civil Court. The lawsuit names various parties as defendants, including the owner of the flatbed truck, the driver of the truck, and the company that owned the boom that was being hauled.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants “knew, or in their exercise of ordinary prudence and care, should have known that their acts and omissions could lead to a deadly collision and collapse of the FM 2484 bridge.” Additionally, the companies hired to place structural beams on the bridge are also named in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that these companies “were responsible for implementing traffic control plans, traffic warning devices and traffic warning signs, and thus had a duty to provide a safe roadway in the construction zone for all motorists, including” the man killed in the accident.
The lawsuit alleges various legal causes of action, including negligence, negligence per se, gross negligence, and negligent entrustment. The family of the deceased seeks damages related to the man’s death, including physical and emotional pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and loss of financial support.
Contact Our Texas Truck Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured in a truck accident, an experienced truck accident attorney can help protect your rights. Zehl & Associates’ team of experienced Texas truck accident attorneys who can help protect your legal rights and make sure you recover the compensation you deserve.
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