An 18 wheeler turned over on top of a car on the highway 49 ramp in pearl, rankin county, ms last week crushing a car in which cynthia trest was in resulting in her death;she was from bay springs, ms;three other people who were in the car were injured and taken to the university medical center in jackson, ms.
MDOT stated that the interstate 20 may be closed for hours. Accident reconstructionists are trying to figure out exactly why the big truck turned over on top of the car.
WHO CAN MAKE A CLAIM AGAINST WHOM AND WHY?
first, the family of cynthia trest may be able to make a claim for wrongful death damages which include: pain and suffering,medical and funeral bills, lost income, and loss of society and companionship of the family. These claims can be made against the 18 wheeler's insurance company who probably have at least $1,000,000 of insurance coverage (most big truck companies carry at least this much insurance). Also, a claim may be made for punitive damages against the 18 wheeler company if the proof shows that they made their truckdriver work more than the maximum hours for truckdrivers without taking the required rest breaks, or if he were an incompetent driver, or some other reason that the facts show.
Also, the three injured people in the car may also be able to make a claim against the tractor trailer truck's insurance company for personal injury damages which include: past and future medical bills, past and future lost income, past and future pain and suffering, reduced earning capacity, and permanent injuries. They also may make a claim for punitive damages.
So, who gets what if there is only $1,000,000 of insurance coverage? The short answer is first come first served;thats right;it is possible for the three injured people to exhaust all of the $1,000,000 of insurance coverage leaving nothing to the family of cynthia trest, or vice versa, its possible for the family of cynthia trest to collect all of the $1,000,000 leaving nothing for the three injured passengers in the car.
So what all this means is that it is extremely important to hire an MS accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights before it is too late. We have handled a number of 18 wheeler accident cases to successful conclusion for our clients and their families; just look at our track record and compare it to anyone else's and you will see that we have the knowledge, know how and experience to handle this type of case for you.
Call now for a FREE consultation at 601-969-1977 or contact us online. We represent clients all over MS including: jackson, gulfport, biloxi, hattiesburg, greenville, meridian, tupelo, southaven, vicksburg, pascagoula, columbus,clinton, pearl, starkville, olive branch, clarksdale, ridgeland, natchez, greenwood and laurel, MS. The law offices of Paul Snow handles all types of cases involving serious injury and death including car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, and accidents from defective products.
