A tractor-trailer ran into a Tennessee Department of Transportation maintenance truck on Sept. 4, sending two crewmembers to the hospital with injuries. The wreck happened on Interstate 24 near Manchester around 1:45 p.m. when traffic in the area was already congested due to an earlier accident in addition to the grass farther down the road being mowed.
A pair of TDOT employees observed the traffic backing up and went to their truck to turn on a flashing “move over” sign. A 63-year-old man who had been driving a tractor-trailer down the interstate apparently failed to merge to the left in time and ran into the back of the work truck. The impact sent the TDOT truck across the emergency lane and into a rock wall. Following the collision, the tractor-trailer jackknifed and also crashed into the rock wall.
The workers' trucking accident injuries required treatment at a hospital. They were flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and one worker was soon released and the other listed in stable condition. The driver of the truck was also injured, though he refused medical treatment. The westbound lanes of interstate had to be closed for approximately four hours while the scene of the accident was investigated and cleared.
People who have been injured in an accident caused by someone else's disregard of road or hazard signs have the right to seek compensation from the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. This compensation can include lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. An attorney could help to file a personal injury lawsuit against any responsible parties, such as a commercial driver's employer if the employer did not require that the driver sleep an appropriate number of hours.