On behalf of Weisman, Kennedy & Berris Co., L.P.A. posted in Truck accidents on Wednesday, January 23, 2013.

Traffic accidents often have devastating outcomes, particularly when larger vehicles are involved. Trucks and tractor-trailers may be carrying unsecured cargo or the driver may be distracted, impaired or driving recklessly. Sometimes the issue is truck driver fatigue. Regardless of how or why a truck accident happens, victims need to know their legal rights.

One victim has died following a truck and tractor-trailer collision. Ohio state troopers say the accident happened at the intersection of state routes 171 and 9 in Carroll County just after 7 p.m. on Jan. 12. Authorities say the victim was a 79-year-old woman from Amsterdam, Ohio.

According to police, the woman was a passenger in a pickup truck driven by a 76-year-old man from the town of Bergholz. Officers say the truck driver, who was headed west, drove through a stop sign and into the path of the big rig, which was heading south. The victim was ejected from the pickup truck and taken to a hospital where she died. Police say she was not wearing a seat belt, but the driver of the truck and the 29-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer were wearing safety belts. Neither driver needed medical treatment.

Those involved in a truck crash may have serious injuries and need immediate and long-term medical care that can be expensive. They may also see their bank accounts dwindle as they miss work because of their injuries. Learning how the law views accident victims, liability and compensation can help protect the rights of those who are injured.

Source: Timesreporter.com, “Carroll County woman killed in crash,” Jan. 13, 2013