An Aug. 5 accident claimed the life of a Tennessee woman on U.S. 11W. Two others were also injured in the crash, which occurred when a tractor-trailer attempted to make an illegal left turn onto Sneedville Pike. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not hurt.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the wreck occurred just after 1:20 p.m. in Rogersville. The woman was driving a 2000 Daewoo north in the left lane of the highway when the semi-truck turned in front of her car. Officers say she was wearing a seat belt but that the safety restraint would not have changed the outcome of the crash. Two passengers in her car, including an infant, were injured. Emergency personnel had to extract the woman from the vehicle.
The 18-year-old woman was declared dead at the crash scene. U.S. 11W was shut down for several hours so that authorities could conduct an investigation into the accident. A trooper stated that the semi-truck driver could be facing charges in connection to the wreck. Since a commercial vehicle was involved, THP was called to investigate, according to officers from the Rogersville Police Department. At least 10 troopers also participated in the crash investigation.
A family of a deceased accident victim may consider pursuing a claim for wrongful death against the driver found to be at fault for a wreck. The compensation a family may be eligible for could help set off sudden expenses related to the death of their loved one such as funeral arrangements and medical bills. In cases where the liable motorist was employed by a trucking company, that company could also be held liable for damages. A lawyer might work with the involved parties in order to negotiate a settlement.
Source: The Rogersville Review, “18-year-old dies in 11W crash on Tuesday“, Wade Littleton, August 08, 2014