subject: Dangerous Traffic Accidents Can Involve More Than Vehicles [print this page] An accident just south of Asheville last week resulted in the complete closure of I-26 when a truck carrying more than 40,000 lbs. of sulfuric acid crashed on the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge after overturning. The driver, who escaped serious injury, was treated at a hospital in Asheville and then released. An emergency worker also required treatment. Charges against the driver of the truck are pending the results of an investigation by the highway patrol, and it was not clear whether or not the driver had yet retained a lawyer.
The incident, which required the evacuation of 54 homes near the spill and the work of multiple area fire departments and a regional hazmat team, served as a fiery reminder of the unexpected dangers that drivers on Ashevilles roadways can encounter at any moment. In addition to the threat of an accident, there is the reality that many vehicles are also carrying hazardous equipment, chemicals, and other cargo that could cause further injury in the event of a collision.
Fortunately, in the I-26 wreck, emergency responders were able to contain the spill and control the fire before any other injuries or damages occurred, but it would have been a whole other story if other vehicles had been involved in the crash when the tanker overturned. And, sadly, accidents occur in the Asheville area every day in which victims do not escape without serious injury.
Anyone who sustains an injury in an accident in which someone else was at fault should contact an Asheville injury lawyer as soon as possible. When an injury occurs, and you are trying to recover either in the hospital or at home, it will probably not occur to you to inspect the accident scene or the vehicles involved. A personal injury lawyer, however, will be able to conduct just such a survey of the scene and all vehicles involved. In addition, your lawyer has the experience necessary to ascertain whether there are other responsible parties who should be held accountable for your injury, your pain, and your suffering. Having a lawyer at your side enables you to get the compensation you deserve while you focus on the primary job of healing and recovering from your injury.
If you have an injury from an accident and you have not yet called a lawyer, take the time today to contact one in the Asheville area. You have rights and you are due remuneration. Your Asheville injury lawyer will help to defend and protect those rights and will work diligently to ensure that justice prevails. Make that call today and start getting the help that you deserve.
