Head-On Wreck Kills Three

Head-On Wreck Kills Three

One other person was seriously injured after a semi-truck drifted across the grassy median and caused a car accident.

Witnesses and authorities state that an eastbound tractor trailer crossed the median on the Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson County just outside Bardstown. The 71-year-old driver, 72-year-old male passenger, and 3-year-old passenger, all of whom were from Harrodsburg, were killed almost instantly. A fourth person in the car, 5-year-old passenger, was seriously injured and airlifted to a nearby hospital. The car accident had a tremendous impact on people in the small town of Harrodsburg. The vehicle was apparently on the way to Bowling Green to view a flower garden.

Tractor-Trailer Injuries

A fully-loaded tractor trailer weighs over 80,000 pounds, and it is not uncommon to see double trailers that weigh almost twice as much. Even a well-experienced driver will have a hard time controlling such a mammoth vehicle. When these machines cause car accidents, the other vehicle is quite often pinned underneath the tractor-trailer, leading to catastrophic injuries such as:

  • Severe Burns: Since diesel fuel and ordinary gasoline burn at different temperatures, it is not unusual to see serious third and fourth-degree burns in these car accidents.
  • Head Injuries: If a large truck collides with a passenger car at near-freeway speeds, the force of the collision may be more than the car’s restraint systems can bear, causing serious head, neck, and spinal injuries.
  • Hypovolemic Shock: If the body loses as little as 15 percent of its blood volume, the heart stops pumping, causing serious damage to oxygen-starved vital organs.

The respondeat superior rule states that an employer is usually liable for damages if a commercial driver causes a car accident.

Wrongful Death Actions

If the victim dies in a car accident, the survivors have only one year to file a claim for damages. Fast action is key, since before anyone can even file a claim, the probate court must ordinarily designate a legal representative, and this process can easily take several months or even longer.

There are two types of damage awards:

  • The estate may receive compensation for direct economic losses, such as funeral, cremation, and burial expenses, and
  • The survivors may receive compensation for their indirect losses, such as loss of consortium (companionship and contribution to household services) and lost future earnings.

An attorney usually partners with an accountant or other professional to accurately estimate the amount of future lost wages. This calculation is particularly difficult if the car accident victim is very young.

Large trucks often cause catastrophic injuries in car accident cases. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Bowling Green, contact Attorney Gary S. Logsdon. Home and hospital visits are available.

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