Trucking accidents can happen when a truck driver loses control of the vehicle, endangering his or her own life and the lives of both passengers and other drivers sharing the road. When a truck crashes with a smaller vehicle, the results are often fatal as the whole weight of the truck and its load could crush the vehicle, leading to catastrophic injury or even the death of the people involved.
This was what happened in a tragic truck accident in California, where a big rig carrying a trash container and loader demolished a police car cruising along a residential street. According to investigators, the truck may have lost control of its brakes, which caused it to rest on its side after it tore through a police car being driven by a veteran cop of the Los Angeles Police Department. Unfortunately, the veteran officer, who had given 16 years of service to the force, was killed in the accident. His wife and two children survive him.
Astoundingly, the other passenger of the car, a female police rookie, survived the debilitating accident, although she sustained painful injuries. While initially determined to be in critical condition, she is expected to recover, and she remains lucid. The truck driver was seriously injured but will also survive the accident, according to doctors.
For family members who have lost loved ones as a result of a truck accident, it can be very hard to deal with the sudden loss. Those who managed to survive the accident can suffer serious injuries and permanent disabilities. You can file a lawsuit against truck company owners and operators for a number of different reasons, including negligence, improper maintenance and unsafe loads. If it is determined that the truck ultimately caused the accident by any violation, you may be able to receive compensation to make up for the lost wages, suffering and medical expenses incurred in the aftermath.