Many Texas motorists choose the highway as a way to reach their destinations as quickly as possible. But with so many vehicles sharing the road, drivers must be ready to react to hazards that can present themselves with no warning. Motor vehicle accidents in such conditions can be sudden and have devastating consequences.
Recently, a three-vehicle accident occurred near Lytle and was responsible for shutting down a portion of I-35. Texas DPS reported that a black SUV driven by a 25-year-old woman had a blowout. The northbound SUV skipped over the median and struck a light pole while in the process of entering the southbound lanes.
DPS states that the SUV then struck a van which had five passengers on board. Following this, an 18-wheeler T-boned the SUV.
According to DPS, the SUV driver was hurled from the vehicle. She, along with an 87-year-old female, who had been riding inside the van, was transported via AirLife to a hospital. The 87-year-old female later died. The condition of the driver was unknown at the time of transport to the hospital.
This story demonstrates how tragedies can occur without so much as a moment’s notice. Apparently, the compelling incident leading to the tragedy was a simple blown tire. Yet that one instantaneous event could have been due to any number of causes. There may have been a defect in the tire or a hazard on the road or perhaps the wheel had a maintenance issue. All these possibilities need to be investigated.
Of further complication is the fact that not only were multiple vehicles involved, but one of those vehicles was an 18-wheeler. Truck accidents can create more complex scenarios when determining liability and seeking compensation.
A thorough investigation is important when determining the source or sources of liability in an accident. If you’re in a complicated accident, such as the one described above, sorting out all details could be a very trying ordeal.
A Texas accident attorney may be able to piece all the available information together so as to help pursue all appropriate avenues of compensation.
Source: KENS 5, “I-35 southbound reopened after accident near Lytle,” Aug. 6, 2014