Archive for the ‘ Truck Accidents ’ Category

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7
Mar

Baton Rouge Prosecutor Wins Award For Efforts Against Drunk Drivers

March 7, 2012

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, city prosecutor was recently given the title of Prosecutor of the Year at an awards ceremony sponsored by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission for her efforts against drunk driving in the city. According to reports from WAFB 9 News, Prosecutor Lisa Freeman has helmed the battle against intoxicated drivers by establishing help programs and stringent rules for offenders during her more than 20 year tenure with the city.

Ms. Freeman helped to establish Baton Rouge’s Sobriety Court program for repeat DWI offenders. The program is a 12 month course designed to help repeat DWI offenders stay sober. Since the program’s inception just over a year ago, it has already had 11 successful graduates. Colleagues stated that fairness, accountability, and transparency in the prosecution of DWI cases have been a staple of Ms. Freeman’s time in the position.

Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Commission, added that Ms. Freeman’s work has saved many lives by taking drunk drivers off the road. In 2010, 43% of the 720 crash related deaths in Louisiana were attributed to alcohol consumption.

The Baton Rouge Drunk Driving Victim Attorneys with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers ask that we all do our part to keep the highway safe by utilizing sober, designated drivers and by encouraging others you know to do the same thing. Every effort we make to eliminate drunk driving could save a life.

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8
Feb

Three Pedestrians Killed Within Four Days In Baton Rouge

February 8, 2012

While walking to get where you need to go may be a green and healthy mode of transportation, it can be dangerous. Reports coming from WAFB 9 News say that three pedestrians have been hit in killed over the last several days in the greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area.

Last Thursday morning, a 2005 Toyota Camry struck a 90-year-old man as he tried to cross East Boulevard just before noon. He died at a local hospital the next day. Hours later, a 56-year-old man was hit and killed by a Dodge pickup truck as he tried to cross Greenwell Springs Road.

Then, on Monday afternoon, a 55-year-old man from Walker, Louisiana, died after a hit-and-run accident. Reports from the Louisiana state police show that the man was strolling along Walker North Road near a Ford Expedition that had stopped in the southbound lanes. A pickup truck approaching from behind did not have time to stop and rear-ended the Expedition, sending the pickup towards the pedestrian. The large truck plowed over him and through an embankment before striking a house and coming to rest. The Expedition fled the scene after the collision, leaving the pedestrian to die and the pickup truck driver injured.

The Louisiana pedestrian accident attorneys with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers often handle cases for pedestrians who were hurt at no fault of their own. If you have been injured, contact an experienced attorney today.

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11
Jan

Tractor-Trailer Being Sought In Connection With Hit-And-Run Accident

January 11, 2012

The cloud of mystery surrounding an SUV found abandoned and partially submerged this morning in Lake Pontchartrain at the Twin Spans is beginning to lift. According to reports from WWLTV 4 News, the vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a tractor-trailer late Tuesday night.

A spokesman for the New Orleans police department said that the driver of the black SUV was heading eastbound along I-10 at around 10:00 PM Tuesday night, when a tractor-trailer with a purple cab moved into the SUV’s lane and clipped the vehicle. This caused the SUV to spin out of control and into the lake.

The driver was able to escape through a sunroof and swam to shore. There, investigators said a witness stopped and helped the victim. The male driver of the SUV was extremely shaken up by the incident, but he was otherwise uninjured.

Police are searching for a tractor-trailer with a purple cab that possibly says “Raynor” on the side.

Although no one was injured in this crash, more times than not, truck accidents are deadly. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) estimates that roughly 5,000 people are killed per year in tractor-trailer related accidents.

Due to guidelines that regulate the trucking industry, truck accidents involving injuries or death can quickly become tied up in bureaucratic red tape. The Louisiana truck accident attorneys with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers specialize in helping cut through that mess. Call us today if you have been injured in a tractor-trailer accident and have any questions regarding your case.

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4
Jan

Smoke And Fog Cause Havoc Along Louisiana’s Interstate-10

January 4, 2012

Over the last several weeks, a combination of smoke and fog has been blamed for numerous accidents along a stretch of I-10 outside New Orleans, Louisiana. According to WWLTV News, a three-vehicle crash occurred due to weather conditions this morning. They also reported that weather conditions are also being considered as a partial cause to a 40-car pile up that occurred in the same area last Thursday. Two people died and dozens were injured as a result of the crash.

The low lying marsh area around the highway is prone to fog and is only compounded by a marsh fire that has burned in the area for more than a year. Local agencies have tried to extinguish the blaze several times to no avail.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance says the best thing to do if you are driving in low visibility areas is to:

  • Slow down
  • Turn on your lights (Not High Beams)
  • Use windshield wipers
  • Try not to switch lanes unless necessary
  • Use the right side of the road as a guide, not the center lines
  • If you don’t feel safe, pull over at the next location off the highway

They also advised against using caution blinkers in bad visibility conditions, as other drivers are attracted to lights and tend to follow them even if they are off the road.

The Louisiana auto accident attorneys with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers ask that motorists be safe during their morning commutes when the likelihood of these low visibility conditions are at their highest.

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7
Dec

Wearing A Seat Belt Properly Is Key

December 7, 2011

The importance of wearing your seat belt properly was highlighted after a woman died in a three-vehicle accident in Lafourche, Louisiana. According WWLTV News, reports from state police show that the woman was buckled in, but was not wearing her shoulder harness correctly.

The accident happened at around 10:00 AM Tuesday morning at the intersection of LA 3087 and LA 182. The woman was the riding with her husband and they were stopped behind a truck at the light for the intersection. Suddenly, a vehicle approaching from behind did not slow for stopped traffic and rear-ended the victim’s vehicle. In turn, the victim rear-ended the truck in front of them.

Rescue crews told police they found the woman in the vehicle with the shoulder harness positioned under her arm instead of over, which may have contributed to the injuries she sustained. The woman was taken to the hospital, but did not survive.

Placing the shoulder harness under the arm or behind your back instead of across the chest could result in an injury-producing jar of the upper-body, or ejection from the vehicle, during the impact of a crash. Also, wearing a lap belt across the stomach instead of low across the hips allows collision forces to be applied to the soft tissue of the body, increasing the chance of internal injury.

The Louisiana Auto Accident Attorneys with Dudley Debosier encourage motorists to buckle up properly with the lap belt across the hips and shoulder harness across the chest. If you have been injured in an accident at no fault of your own, contact an experienced personal injury attorney today with questions regarding your case.

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14
Sep

Louisiana Hoping High Tension Cables Will Reduce Head-on Collisions

September 14, 2011

Head-on collisions are well known for being one of the most deadly types of automobile crashes a person can be involved in. What if we could stop some of those deaths from occurring? This is the hope of a new project being headed up by the Louisiana Department of Transportation.

According to WWLTV Eyewitness News, a 20-mile long system of high strength cables is being installed on Interstate 10, from Veterans Boulevard in Metairie to Highland Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Experts say that in the case of an accident where a vehicle could cross into oncoming lanes, the standard concrete barrier will cause the vehicle to ricochet off the wall and go back into the roadway. The new cable barriers will actually snag the vehicle during collision by entangling it in the cables.

The Louisiana State Police are applauding the project, as they have seen the system save lives in the past. Supt. Mike Edmonson stated, “ We’ve already seen in areas where it is there, they’ve stopped cars, they’ve stopped 18-wheelers.” In reference to a March 2008 incident in which a 6-year-old girl died in a drunk driving accident, the officer stated, “I certainly believe [this system] would’ve stopped that drunk driver that crossed the median in St. John Parrish.”

The Louisiana Auto Accident Attorneys with Dudley Debosier would like to encourage us all to do our part to make our roadways safer by slowing down, buckling up, and refraining from drinking and driving.

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17
Aug

Two Truck Drivers Injured, Drunk Driver Arrested After Crash

August 17, 2011

A suspected drunk driver was arrested early last Friday morning after colliding with two 18-wheelers. KSLA News 12 reported that the incident occurred around 4:00 AM along Highway 1, as the 25-year-old driver of a Ford F-250 pickup truck, who’d been drinking earlier in the day, headed northbound.

The drunken man began bouncing from shoulder to shoulder along the road and nearly made a fatal mistake when he weaved directly into the path of the first 18-wheeler. The pickup narrowly avoided a head-on collision with the southbound big rig, but over-corrected and struck the trailer instead, damaging it and causing the rear tires of the trailer to blow out.

The driver didn’t stop after the collision, continuing his booze cruise until he struck a second southbound semi-truck. The pickup side-swiped the big rig and ruptured it’s fuel tank, causing the valuable piece of equipment to burst into flames. The driver of the tractor-trailer narrowly escaped death by jumping from the cab of the truck before it was engulfed in flames. The two truck drivers were transported to Willis-Knighton Pierremont for treatment of moderate injuries; miraculously, the young driver of the pickup was not injured, but was arrested at the scene on charges of DWI.

If you have been injured in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver, the Louisiana DUI Accident Lawyers with Dudley DeBosier may be able to help you. Contact them to immediately to discuss the needs of your case.

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3
Aug

One Killed in Louisiana Truck Accident Near Ponchatoula

August 3, 2011

A Louisiana truck accident that occurred early Wednesday morning on I-55, near Ponchatoula, Louisiana, killed one truck driver and left another injured. WWLTV.com reports that the driver who died in the crash was a 53-year-old man from Westwego, Louisiana. According to Louisiana State Police, he had just reentered highway traffic following a brief stop and was traveling at a low rate of speed when his vehicle was struck from behind by another 18-wheeler. The impact caused the first truck’s trailer to shoot through the passenger cab and pin the driver to his seat. First responders declared him dead at the scene.

The other driver involved, a 59-year-old from Florence, Mississippi, suffered minor injuries. Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of crash. The accident remains under investigations as authorities work to determine whether speed was a contributing factor.

Truck accidents often occur because the size and weight of these vehicles make it harder for drivers to stop in time to avoid collisions. These factors also contribute to the high fatality rates involved in tractor-trailer accidents.

The Louisiana Truck Accident Lawyers with Dudley DeBosier understand the danger of big truck accidents for motorists and have experience handling challenging insurance adjusters and red tape hassles. Contact them for a free consultation of your truck accident case.

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13
Jul

Five Injured in Tangipahoa Parish 18-Wheeler Accident

July 13, 2011

The driver of a tractor-trailer truck has been charged with careless operation of a vehicle after causing an accident that injured five people. According to WWLTV News, four of the individuals were inmates at Tangipahoa Parish Jail, and the fifth was the officer responsible for transporting them to a work site.

The accident occurred yesterday, just after noon, at the intersection of US 51 and New Genesse Road. State Police spokesman Trooper Nick Manale said the prisoners’ pickup truck was stopped, waiting for another car to turn right into a parking lot, when it was struck from behind by the 18-wheeler.

The four inmates and the officer driving them suffered injuries ranging from minor to moderate. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured, and was cited and released.

Tractor-trailer accidents result in more injuries and fatalities than passenger car crashes because the size and weight of an 18-wheeler generates much greater force than a passenger sedan, which takes the brunt of that force in collisions.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a tractor-trailer truck, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering, in some instances. The Louisiana Truck Accident Lawyers with Dudley Debosier are experienced in navigating the complicated systems and policies which determine who is responsible in such cases. Get a free online consultation by visiting their website, which also features an option for live chat.

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22
Jun

Eight People, Including Four Children Injured In I-12 Car Crash

June 22, 2011

An accident involving three cars on I-12 near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, left eight people injured. Four children were among the injured. One child was ejected from the vehicle. None of the children were properly restrained.

According to Channel 9 News, a driver lost control of their vehicle just before the I-10/I-12 split and hit two other cars. A witness said that he heard a loud bang and saw two of the vehicles go flying through the air. The witness then ran to the scene to make sure everyone was okay. Upon arrival, he found what he at first thought was a doll, about 15 feet from one of the vehicles. Closer inspection proved it was a toddler that had been thrown from the car.

The toddler and another child are still in intensive care, while the others who were injured were transported to local hospitals to be treated for non-life threatening injuries and were released. Baton Rouge Police are still investigating the cause of the accident and are unsure if anyone will face any charges.

Wearing your seatbelt when driving or riding in a vehicle is the best way to protect yourself from injury in case of an accident. The Louisiana Car Accident Lawyers with Dudley Debosier fight for victim’s rights to fair compensation for damages such as medical expenses, car repairs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. They may be able to help you if you were injured because of someone else’s careless driving.

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