Louisiana State Police are in the process of investigating a chain reaction crash that left four people dead and many more with injuries. This event is said to have involved two semitrailers and eight passenger cars. As is true for most truck accidents, this collision is one that has far-reaching consequences.
According to news reports, this particular crash occurred Saturday, May 26, at approximately 4 p.m., on Interstate 12. Authorities say that the driver of an 18-wheeler failed to stop for a traffic jam. The semitrailer struck a Lexus and a Toyota SUV. The force of the impact caused those vehicles to collide with several other cars and the 18-wheeler to jackknife and catch on fire. The trucker driver, the driver and passenger in the Lexus and the driver of the SUV all suffered fatal injuries.
All of the other victims of the collision are said to have suffered injuries that vary from minor to moderate in severity. All of them were taken to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment. Their current conditions are unknown.
Investigators are not sure why the truck driver did not stop or even slow down along with everyone else. They are looking into whether impairment played a role in the collision — which is fairly common practice following truck accidents. If impairment or negligence of any kind contributed to this wreck, the surviving victims and loved ones of the deceased victims may have legal recourse. Civil claims may be filed against the estate of the truck driver and against his employer in a Louisiana court in an effort to seek monetary damages for any recoverable losses.
Source: theadvocate.com, “Deadly crash on I-12 started with 18-wheeler that failed to stop for traffic, state police say“, Della Hasselle, May 28, 2018