A fatal truck accident closed a road in Orange County late last month. According to Virginia State Police, they are still investigating what may have caused the early evening collision.
The incident happened a little after 6:30 p.m., on Sept. 28 along the Blue Ridge Turnpike, Route 231, right outside of Gordonsville. Officials report that a log truck departed from the road, drove off an embankment and struck a tree. A 55-year-old man inside the truck was killed as a result of the crash. Authorities pronounced him dead at the accident scene.
Although the man was apparently wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, it was not enough to save him. No further details are known about the accident at this time.
Since the driver of the truck in this case was operating a commercial vehicle, questions will arise regarding the condition of the truck and whether its tires, brakes and other mechanical components were properly maintained. Family members of the deceased may also want to look into the possibility of the truck containing defective auto parts that may have contributed to this tragic and deadly crash.
When a truck driver dies in a commercial vehicle accident, family members will want to know what happened. By fully investigating the incident, not only can surviving relatives gain a sense of closure about what happened, but they can also determine whether the incident may give rise to a wrongful death action. If successfully pursued, a wrongful death action could provide surviving family members with money to pay for end of life expenses, lost family income and a variety of other costs and damages relating to the loss of their loved one.
Source: nbc29.com, “Virginia State Police Investigating Fatal Crash on Blue Ridge Turnpike,” Sep. 28, 2017