Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
According to a recent report from the Boston Globe, one person was killed in what has been described as a fiery car accident that occurred on Route 125 in Andover. The accident involved a semi tractor-trailer and a minivan.
Authorities say the large commercial truck was stopped at a traffic light when it was rear ended by the minivan. The minivan hit the underride bar on the rear of the truck. The underride bar or guard is the large horizontal bar that is often covered with red and white reflective decals.The purpose of this bar is to prevent a car from riding under the rear of the truck in such a manner that the lower leading edge of the trailer would go through the front windshield of the car that hit it, resulting in serious injury or death to the occupants of that car.
In this case, the driver of the minivan, who died as a result of his injuries, was the only occupant in the vehicle. While the accident was still under investigation on the day after the accident, the authorities suspect that the minivan was traveling a significant rate of speed at the time of the accident. The reason for this is because the force from the impact caused the trailer to shift forward and slam into the cab of the semi tractor-trailer. This particular truck did not have a sleeper cab, as it was used for local deliveries, so there was a window located behind the driver’s seat. The force of the crash caused the trailer to break that window when it collided with the cab on the tractor.
When first responders arrived at the scene, it quickly became apparent that there was nothing they could do to save the driver, as his injuries had proven too severe. However, while paramedics assessed the driver’s condition, firefighters still had a long job ahead of them, as it took hours to suppress and finally extinguish the blaze. It should be noted that the authorities have said they have not filed any charges in connection with this Boston area fatal car accident, and there have been no formal accusations of negligence or liability on the part of anyone.
One important thing to understand is that when a car accident results in the death of one or more victims, the underlying allegation on a civil complaint is still negligence, but it is filed as a wrongful death. This is not necessarily another type of tort (civil wrong), but it can clearly affect the amount of damages that are ultimately awarded should the case to trial. However, the fact that additional types of damages may exist than in a case that does not involve a tort can make the matter more complex. For this reason, you want to speak with your Boston car accident lawyer during your initial consultation and make sure he or she has experience in dealing with car accident cases in which one or more victims were killed.
If you are injured in an accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Fiery car crash in Andover leaves one dead, January 10, 2017, by Reenat Sinay, The Boston Globe
More Blog Entries:
Report: Fall River Teen Killed in Car Crash on Way to Prom, June 26, 2016, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog