Woman killed when car rear-ended by semi truck

In Tennessee, news sources report that one person is dead after the car she was driving was rear-ended by a semi truck on Feb. 26. The fatal accident occurred on Interstate 24 shortly before 10 a.m. Sources say that criminal charges are pending against the driver of the truck, who was not hurt in the collision. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol crash report, neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to be factors in the wreck.

The accident happened when the 44-year-old female driver of a 2000 Saturn coupe traveling in the eastbound lanes of the interstate slowed down to assist a motorist in the median. Police say that the truck driver, a 48-year-old male, was unable to stop and crashed into the smaller vehicle from behind. The Saturn went off the roadway between Manchester and Monteagle, killing the woman and injuring her passenger. At press time, the extent of the 20-year-old male passenger’s injuries is not known, and few additional details about the incident are available.

Investigators have not yet indicated what charges will be filed in this case. However, distracted driving or some other form of negligence could be a factor in a deadly tractor-trailer accident like the one described here. Although nothing can reverse the chain of events that led to the loss, Tennessee families who find their lives forever changed due to the negligence of another party may find some degree of relief in knowing that they can hold that party accountable for their choices by filing a wrongful death claim.

Because insurers represent their own clients’ best interests, surviving family members might find it beneficial to seek advice from an attorney before moving forward. After reviewing the case evidence, the attorney could establish liability, ascertain the full extent of the loss and help them seek fair financial compensation from all responsible parties.

Source: WKRN, “Good Samaritan killed in crash on I-24 in Coffee County,” Feb. 26, 2015