Frederick Matthews, 41, was killed in a fiery truck accident in Nevada, after he lost control of his rig and crashed. According to a 10news report, Matthews was hauling a load of lumber on June 21, 2010, when the truck speeded out of control to about 100 mph. He then entered a runaway truck ramp in an attempt to slow the truck down. The ramp was in fact designed to slow such runaway trucks, but failed to do so in this case. Matthews' family is now wondering what went wrong in this horrific crash.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of Frederick Matthews for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. I hope their questions are answered and that they find much-needed closure.
Issues with the Truck Ramp
Family members are saying that the gravel on the ramp was piled up instead of being spread out. His mother, Elizabeth Matthews, says that she learned her son was trying to "stop and pump his brakes," but could not. Matthews' cab separated from the rig, became airborne, crashed into a nearby home and caught fire. A woman, who was in the house, was able to make it out safely. Witnesses report that Matthews was screaming for help and that his face was charred in the fire.
His family members say they are determined to fight for answers. They have two important questions. Why did the ramp not work as it was supposed to? Did the brakes in this truck fail? Nevada Highway Patrol officials are looking into why the ramp failed and are also inspecting the truck's maintenance records with regard to the possibility of brake failure.
Brake Failure
As California personal injury lawyers who have successfully represented many truck accident victims, we know that brake failure in big rigs occur due to two main reasons -- overloading of the truck and poor vehicle maintenance. In this case, I hope investigators are asking the question whether the truck was overloaded with lumber. Under federal regulations, commercial trucks are limited as to how much load they can carry and how that load is distributed in the rig.
Wrongful Death Claims
In this particular case, if the ramp was not properly maintained and failed to slow down the truck, then the governmental agency responsible for maintaining the ramp could be held liable for the victim's wrongful death. There are statute of limitations when it comes to filing personal injury or wrongful death claims against governmental agencies. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to better advise victims' families in such cases about their legal rights and options.
What are some tips you would offer to motorist to drive safely around big rigs?
The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.
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