Injury, death after two major Louisiana highway trucking accidents

Truck accidents are all too common on Louisiana highways. On June 6, there were two trucking accidents that occurred near Lake Charles. The first accident was between a relatively small car and an 18-wheeler. Both vehicles had changed lanes due to traffic congestion on Interstate 10. The accident caused the 2004 Ford Focus to become wedged under the trailer of the 18-wheeler.

The driver of the focus was killed in the accident while the truck driver and his passenger were not injured. According to police, alcohol was not thought to be a factor in the accident. No citations were issued in the immediate aftermath of the trucking accident, which happened on the Calcasieu River Bridge.

Another trucking accident on the same day involved six vehicles in a chain reaction accident on Interstate 210. According to reports, five of the vehicles were stopped in traffic when the sixth vehicle rear-ended the one ahead of it. This caused a chain reaction that involved three 18-wheelers and three passenger vehicles. There were multiple injuries in the accident and nine people were taken to the hospital with what were initially characterized as non-life threatening injuries.

The Wednesday morning I-210 pileup halted traffic while the accident was cleaned up and investigated. Understandably, trucking accidents can cause serious injuries and death, particularly when a big rig collides with a smaller vehicle as occurred in the I-10 tragedy.

The family of the Lake Charles driver killed in the first accident will surely be devastated by the death of their loved one and will certainly need to determine how to best cope with their loss. They and all of the other parties to both incidents will want to know the results of any official investigation as they determine what legal action may be available to them under Louisiana law.

Source: American Press, “>Lake Charles man dies following major accidents on I-10 and I-210,” June 7, 2012