Accident occurs at intersection, frequent crash site

Along with police investigators, the Tennessee Department of Transportation looked into a crash that occurred on Dec. 16 in Greenville. The accident involving a tractor-trailer took place at the intersection of U.S. 11E and Bridge Burners Boulevard, and the intersection was a frequent crash site, which lead to safety improvements completed by TDOT in 2014.

A 29-year-old man, who is from Georgia, drove the empty tractor-trailer truck when leaving the Wal-Mart Distribution Center on the boulevard. The semi did not yield when entering onto 11E, and a 2002 Toyota Corolla headed north struck the semi. The 45-year-old driver of the Toyota and her 41-year-old husband, both from Bulls Gap, were flown to Holston Valley Regional Medical Center after originally being taken to Laughlin Memorial Hospital. The woman reportedly suffered a broken neck while her husband had a detached retina due to the accident.

The driver of the trailer works for an Indiana company called Celedon Trucking, and he did not suffer injuries in the crash. This driver was given a ticket for failure to yield, and three other accidents have occurred after the TDOT safety improvements were completed. Some were worried that the flashing warning signs that alert northbound drivers to semi-trucks were malfunctioning, but a TDOT representative said that their investigators found that the lights work properly.

If a police investigation reveals that this auto accident happened because the truck driver failed to yield, the two people that were injured may seek compensation for their injuries from the driver or the company he works for by filing a personal injury claim. Additionally, the couple could also be awarded damages for any property damage to the Toyota and for time either party may have been absent from work because of the wreck.

Source: The Greenville Sun , “THP Report Says Truck Driver In Bridge Burners Crash Cited”, Ken Little , December 20, 2014