Texas truck accident attorneys note that a trucker is facing charges of criminally negligent homicide after he parked his truck in the fast lane of a Texas freeway and failed to put up any warning signals, resulting in a fatal crash. Andre J. Dixon parked his tractor-trailer in a southbound lane of Loop 410 near I-10 and failed to place reflective warning cones or other signals of the hazard around his stopped tractor-trailer.
Unable to perceive the hazard of the parker tractor trailer up ahead due to the lack of reflective cones or other signals, another tractor trailer slammed into the back of Dixon’s truck. Then a pickup truck following behind the second truck slammed into the rear of that semi. The driver of the second truck died at the scene of the wreck. The driver of the pickup truck suffered a broken leg and other injuries. Meanwhile, Dixon was strolling through the grassy median nearby. Our Texas truck accident attorneys point out that when police arrived at the scene, Dixon was finally placing reflective warning triangles around his now-wrecked tractor-trailer. The freeway was closed for several hours to investigate the wreck and clear the scene of the wreck.
The Texas truck accident attorneys at Denena & Points emphasize that Dixon violated bothfederal and Texas state transportation codes by failing to immediately place reflective warning signs around his stopped tractor-trailer or to move his stopped vehicle off of the freeway. Dixon’s act of stopping his big rig in a freeway fast lane with no warning signs was unreasonably hazardous to other motorists. Indeed, his negligence resulted in a fatal crash. Police said they don’t typically use the charge of criminally negligent homicide after a fatal motor vehicle accident, but that the particular circumstances of this crash warranted such a charge.
Our Texas truck accident attorneys mention that this fatal truck accident on Loop 410 well illustrates the high importance of placing warning signs around a stopped tractor-trailer. Federal and state statutes recognize the hazard posed by stopped trucks to other motorists. Many nighttime accidents and even a large proportion of daytime accidents result when other motorists either can’t see a stopped truck trailer pulled across their path, or can’t tell that the truck up ahead is stopped, until it’s too late.
In this chain reaction accident, it was another trucker who tragically lost his life to Dixon’s negligence. The maximum sentence for Dixon in a criminally negligent homicide charge is two years behind bars and a fine of $10,000. The sentence for the other trucker was life – the loss of it.
The grieving relatives of that second trucker who so needlessly lost his life to Dixon’s negligence need not be limited by the criminal charge. They could take Dixon and his employer to court in a civil suit to claim maximum financial compensation for their losses. Dixon’s employer might be liable for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent training (since it appears Dixon did not understand the critical importance of warning other motorists of the hazard posed by a big rig parked on a freeway fast lane).
No monetary award can ever replace the love and companionship of a lost family member. But it can hold a wrongdoer accountable for his actions. And it can bring some closure to the bereaved relatives and help them to cope with financial difficulties following the loss of a family breadwinner.
If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by a negligent truck driver and you have questions about your eligibility to pursue financial compensation for your losses, contact the experienced Texas truck accident attorneys at Denena & Points for a free legal consultation. Our free initial consultation/case evaluation could help you understand your legal options for pursuing your claim, obstacles you might face along the way, and your potential for financial recovery. Call us tool free at 877-307-9500, or use our convenient online contact features to schedule your free consultation. We only charge you attorney’s fees for your case if your win your claim.