An out of control dump truck resulted in a fatal Interstate 4 accident on a recent Monday morning. According to Florida troopers, the dump truck accident occurred after the truck plowed through a guardrail along the interstate after one of its front tires separated. The truck crossed into opposing traffic and hit three other vehicles.
A 32-year-old woman was fatally injured in the collision. Five more individuals were also injured; however, their injuries were reported as minor. The 51-year-old dump truck driver was among those who survived the crash with minor injuries.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 6:50 a.m., caused Westbound traffic to be closed along Interstate 4 until 11:45 a.m. Troopers are still trying to determine how the incident and tire separating might have occurred. Police will be examining both the dump truck driver’s actions leading up to the event, and the quality and condition of the dump truck itself.
The tragic loss of life associated with this truck accident possibly could have been avoided if the dump truck company and/or the dump truck driver had properly maintained the truck or driven more responsibly. Depending on the results of police investigations, relatives of the 32-year-old woman who died may wish to initiate a civil lawsuit to seek restitution for the loss of their loved one. If successfully navigated, family members may be able to obtain financial restitution to pay for lost income, end of life expenses and a range of other costs resulting from their loved one’s death. In certain cases, factual evidence could also be sufficient to support a claim for attorney’s fees, litigation costs and punitive damages.
Source: wftv.com, “I-4 reopens in Deltona after fatal dump truck crash” No author given, Apr. 28, 2014