Fort Worth truck accident lawyer Coby L. Wooten understands that accidents involving big rigs, pickup trucks and other large vehicles can have a devastating impact. The loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult things you will ever have to experience. If you lose a loved one because of negligence, you will want answers - and you are entitled to answers.
Four recent news articles illustrate the tragic nature of truck accidents on Texas roads and highways. The news reports state that six people lost their lives in accidents.
Fatal Waxahachie Tractor-Trailer Accident
Grace Garcia, 59, of Austin, died in a rear-end accident involving a tractor-trailer, according to an ABC Channel 8 news report published on June 3. Garcia was the executive director of Annie's List, an organization that tries to get Democratic women elected to office. She was riding in a car on Interstate-35E that was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer and died at the scene, according to the news report.
Fatal Semi Truck Accident in Paris, Texas
Devin Oliver, 21, and Aubree Butts, 20, both died on June 3 in a car accident involving a semi truck in Paris, TX, according to a news report in the Rowlett Lakeshore Times. The two who lost their lives were among a group of four women traveling southbound on FM 1497 when the accident occurred. The news article states that the accident occurred at the intersection of FM 1497 and loop 286. According to witnesses, the four women were in a Nissan Maxima that started into the intersection with loop 286 and was hit in the passenger side rear door by the semi truck, driving by Brian Lile, according to the news report.
Oliver, a Rowlett High School class of 2011 graduate, was a women's basketball player at Texas A&M - Commerce. Butts was also a member of the Texas A&M Commerce basketball team. The two other women in the vehicle, Latisha Hearne, 21, and Zeonbia Winbush, 19, were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to the news article, which stated the truck driver was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.
Pedestrian Dies after Being Hit by a Truck in Galveston
Raphael Flajole, 62, of Lake Orion, Michigan, died in Galveston after being struck by a pickup truck that ran off the road, according to a Houston Chronicle report on June 8. Witnesses said they saw the pickup truck turn onto Seawall Boulevard in Galveston and cut across several lanes of traffic. It drove onto a sidewalk and struck two people standing near a souvenir shop, the news reports states. The driver, Kevin Wade Wilson, 49, is facing charges in connection with the incident. The other pedestrian, Shane Sabala, 48, was listed in serious but stable condition.
Tractor-Trailer Crash in Johnson County results in 2 Deaths
Imelda Medinademacias, 71, of Alvarado, TX and Silvia Macias, 44, of Chicago, Illinois, died in an accident involving a tractor-trailer, according to a June 6 report in the Crowley Star News.
The women were in a van that was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer driven by Wesley Lopez of Arlington. Police said he failed to control his speed in the moments before the collision, which occurred on Farm-to-Market Road 917. The Chrysler Town and Country van that was hit was stopped to make a left turn into a parking lot.
The driver of the van, Crystal Medina, 20, of Alvarado, was listed in stable condition at John Peter Smith Hospital, according to the news report.
Crowley Star News reports that 3-Star Daylighting of Cresson owns the tractor-trailer. The news article states that the trucking company was involved in a fatal accident in 2013 involving an H.F. Stevens Middle School student.
How an Attorney Can Help after a Commercial Trucking Accident
In truck wrecks involving commercial vehicles like these, the investigation usually begins within minutes or hours by the trucking company's insurance companies. They will actually have an insurance company paid investigator on sight with minutes or hours.
It is imperative that you have an attorney with the experience and knowledge to make sure evidence doesn't change or disappear. You should have your own attorney and accident investigators and reconstructionists on the job and at the accident site as soon as possible. You will want an accurate account of what happened and the experience to hold the responsible party accountable.
If you or a loved one has been injured contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. at 866-408-0940.