In Macon and beyond, we represent people who have been injured in all types of accidents

Authorities in Georgia recently reported a fatal crash on Interstate 85 on a recent Saturday morning. Like most truck accidents that also involve passenger vehicles, the occupant in the car had very little chance of surviving. In this case, however, the truck operator also died.

According to police, the accident occurred shortly before 8 a.m. on the northbound side of the interstate. A preliminary accident report indicates that a 31-year-old woman, who was heading north, was stopped due to an earlier collision. While her car was stationary, a massive 8,500-gallon fuel tanker, also northbound, smashed into the rear of her vehicle.

The tanker flipped over upon impact, and a massive fire erupted. Flames engulfed both the car and the tanker, trapping the drivers inside. The truck operator was identified as a 44-year-old Snellville resident. The police and emergency workers arrived to find both vehicles burning with no possibility of saving the occupants.

The surviving family members of deceased victims of truck accidents are typically entitled to pursue claims for financial relief through the civil justice system of Georgia. These generally are challenging legal proceedings, and a case such as this one, which also involved vehicles of an earlier crash, could be even more complicated. The most appropriate step would be to consult with an experienced wrongful death attorney. Legal counsel can launch an independent investigation to determine negligence and who to name as defendants when filing a lawsuit. These could include the employer of the deceased trucker, the vehicle manufacturer or even the mechanic who serviced the tanker.