Tractor trailer crash in western Pennsylvania kills two
Gary and Tracey Smith of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania were killed Saturday when a tractor-trailer crossed the median and crashed into their car.
This fatal tractor trailer crash occurred on State Route 22 in Blair County, Pennsylvania at around 3:30 p.m. The tractor trailer was heading eastbound and, for an unknown reason, crossed the median into the westbound lanes.
Gary and Tracey Smith were pronounced dead at the scene. Their 8-year-old child, Sam, was seriously injured and taken to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. The truck driver, Gregory D. Nagy, did not suffer serious injury.
Pennsylvania state police are still investigating the cause of the crash and will perform a reconstruction to try and determine why the tractor trailer suddenly veered into oncoming traffic.
If it is determined that there was negligence on the part of the truck driver or the trucking company, the family of the deceased may be able to recover damages to pay for funeral expenses and other costs related to this tragedy.
A personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately so that all the evidence from the current investigation is preserved. A useful tool in determining whether any motor carrier violations were neglected is the driver’s log book. It will be able to show whether the driver was operating his tractor trailer on short rest or if he had it serviced by a certified mechanic before the crash. These logs are only required to be kept for a limited amount of time so a trucking accident lawyer needs to obtain them as soon as possible.
The Bradley Law Firm, based in St. Louis, handles tractor trailer accidents nationwide and has over 30 years of experience working on personal injury cases related to the trucking industry.
