Driving on the interstate in Virginia is frequently risky and requires drivers to be alert and use caution at all times. At any hour of the day or night, traffic can be treacherous, and drivers of passenger vehicles must often deal with fast-moving big rigs. Because of this, the chance of being involved in a truck accident can be quite high even for those who must pull off the highway onto the shoulder.
Injuries in a truck accident are often severe because of their enormous size and weight. Severe injuries may include broken bones, back and neck injuries, head trauma, internal bleeding, spinal cord damage, and whiplash injury.
One man was recently traveling through the state when his pickup truck became disabled just before 9 p.m. He pulled off the interstate to investigate. The man was standing outside his pickup when, for unknown reasons, a tractor-trailer veered off the interstate and struck the man and his vehicle. The big rig continued off the highway until it struck a tree and came to rest in the grass.
The impact of the collision resulted in fatal injuries for the 63-year-old driver of the pickup. Authorities pronounced him dead at the scene. The operator of the tractor-trailer was not seriously injured. Policed say he did not seem to be speeding, but they are investigating the reasons why his truck left the roadway. Authorities have charged him with reckless driving.
When a family loses a loved one in a truck accident, it can mean the beginning of years of grief and struggle, including financial difficulties. This can be hard to bear when the accident resulted from the recklessness of someone else. Determining the cause of a truck accident can be complicated, and many Virginia accident victims and their families turn to legal professionals who have the resources to investigate every possibility and pursue just compensation for their suffering and loss.