According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, an accident that involved a tanker truck and multiple vehicles closed I-85 for several hours in north Charlotte. Traffic was backed up on the interstate for miles after the crash.
The incident began when an SUV driven by a pregnant woman with four passengers struck roadway debris and got a flat tire. She stopped her vehicle, which was then side-swiped by the tanker. The pregnant woman was injured in the accident.
A spokesman for the North Carolina Highway Patrol praised the truck driver for his actions, saying, “It could have been worse. (He) did a really good job. He’s hauling hazardous material so if he jackknifed the truck. It could have been worse off than what it is right now.”
The interstate was shut down for hours as emergency crews tried to contain fuel leaking from the tanker truck. A helicopter filmed scenes of paramedics treating multiple victims. According to medics at the scene, five people were taken to Carolinas Medical Center. Three of them had serious injuries that were considered to be life-threatening.
Sometimes accidents are unavoidable. In this case, if it could be determined who left the debris in the roadway, whether it fell accidentally off of a truck or was deliberately tossed out of a moving vehicle, they could be held liable for the initial damages that set off the chain reaction of accidents and injuries.
An aggressive North Carolina personal injury attorney can send investigators to the scene to comb through any leftover debris searching for clues. Those who suffered serious injuries may consider turning to the court system for compensation for their pain and suffering.
Source: WSOCTV, “Pregnant woman among injured in I-85 side-swipe accident” Paige Hansen, Jun. 04, 2014