Truck accident in Hempstead leaves two persons seriously injured
Modern freeways and the vehicles that operate on them are carefully designed to provide maximum clearance at overpasses and bridges. The existence of these standards make it difficult to explain the cause of a collision involving a 2009 Freightliner and a 2007 Acura RDX that occurred on December 14 at the Eagle overpass on the Southern State Parkway.
The accident
Police responded to an accident report at about 4:00 a.m. involving an Acura sedan and a Freightliner semi-trailer truck. The truck was traveling westbound on the Parkway when the cab struck the Eagle Avenue Overpass at Exit 18. The truck came to a rapid stop and was then hit by the closely following Acura. The driver of the truck fled the scene but later turned himself in to the State Police Barracks.
The driver of the Acura and her passenger were both taken to nearby hospitals with serious but non–life-threatening injuries. The truck driver was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving a personal injury and Reckless Endangerment of Human Life. Additional investigation of the accident is being conducted by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Collision and reconstruction Unit, Forensic Identification Unit and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit.
Causation
The exact cause of the accident will not be known until the specialized investigation units finish their work. Nevertheless, the reported facts support several inferences. The fact that the truck driver left the scene may indicate that he knew about deficiencies in the truck or its maintenance record. Also, he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Another possibility is that the truck was not loaded properly and, therefore, failed to pass cleanly under the overpass. A share of liability may also fall onto the driver of the Acura if she had been following too closely or traveling at an excessive speed.
Sound legal advice
Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one under similar circumstances may wish to consult an experienced accident attorney for an evaluation of the evidence, potential legal theories to support a lawsuit for personal injury damages, and, if appropriate, assistance in negotiating a settlement.