Tractor-trailer accidents are among the most deadly motor vehicle wrecks. In April 2015, a massive crash involving seven vehicles, including two tractor-trailers, left five people dead. Over a year later, a court has finally indicted the driver of the tractor-trailer accused of causing the fatal pileup.
Five Nursing Students Killed In Accident
The nursing students, all young women in their junior year at Georgia Southern University, were driving in two vehicles, a Toyota Corolla and a Ford Escape. They were on their way to their final clinical of the year at St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital. At the same time, John Wayne Johnson, 56, was on the end of his shift driving a tractor-trailer. According to various news reports, Johnson was using his cellphone moments before he rear-ended the Toyota Corolla . The tractor-trailer went on to hit the Ford Escape. Four of the students died on the scene while a fifth died after being taken to Memorial Medical Center.
Johnson Indicted
More than a year after the incident, Johnson has been now been formally charged by the Bryan County Grand Jury. He was indicted on five counts of vehicular homicide of the first-degree, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, following too closely, and failure to exercise due care.
Causes Of Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Tractor-trailer accidents, like all other motor vehicle accidents, can happen for a number of reasons, including negligence on the part of the driver as well as their employers. Truckers often work long shifts and many have inadequate training. Trucking companies are often complicit, many choosing to break federal or state regulations. In the last two decades, trucking accidents have been on the rise and despite only making up 3 percent of injury-causing motor vehicle accidents, they often do far more harm than accidents involving only passenger vehicles.
Liability In Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Taking legal action after being a victim in a tractor-trailer accident can be overwhelming. It is a complicated affair that necessitates the help of an attorney. Many trucking companies are worth millions and their insurance companies will do their best to mitigate the burden of the company. In most cases, the liability for the accident will not be clear-cut and many people could be held responsible, including:
- The driver of the truck;
- The truck/tractor-trailer’s owner;
- The company that leased the truck from the owner;
- A manufacturer of the truck, or any other parts that contributed to the accident; and/or
- The truck’s shipper or loader (if the cargo was improperly loaded).
Which party or parties are held liable depends on the circumstances of the accident.
Get Help With Your Case
If you or a loved one has been in an accident with a tractor-trailer, contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter. With the help of an experienced tractor trailer attorney like Joel, you can get the compensation you deserve. We are proud to serve Atlanta, Cobb County, and all of Georgia.
