76-year-old Tennessee woman killed in truck accident

When truck drivers are negligent behind the wheel, their trucks may become lethal to the drivers around them. Recently, a truck accident in Sparta has demonstrated just how lethal the combination of weight and size can be. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a 76-year-old woman was traveling south on Highway 111 and stopped at a red light at the intersection of Taft Church Road.

Though the woman stopped at the red light, the tractor-trailer behind her did not and struck her vehicle from behind. Both vehicles were forced onto the shoulder of the road after the collision. The woman was killed in the collision. The 31-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer was apparently not injured.

Authorities have not released any details as to what factors they believe may have led to this accident, or whether the truck driver will face criminal charges. The investigation is still ongoing, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. As the investigation continues, the family of the woman killed will likely be interested in the progress.

Under Tennessee’s personal injury laws, the family of a victim killed in an accident may choose to file civil claims against any party deemed negligent in a manner that led to the injuries or death. In this case, the preliminary evidence suggests that the truck driver did not properly stop at the red light, which resulted in the truck accident and the woman’s death. If the investigation concludes that this is, in fact, what happened, then the family may choose to file a wrongful death claim against that driver. A successfully litigated wrongful death claim could provide the family with monetary damages for pain and suffering, as well as any financial losses stemming from the accident.

Source: herald-citizen.com, “Rock Island woman killed in Sparta crash,” Mary Jo Denton, Jan. 14, 2013