Truck Driver Runs Red Light, Kills Teen on Skateboard

A teenager was killed after a commercial truck ran a red light and struck the teen while they were on a skateboard, according to a recent report. The 19-year-old victim was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. According to the accident report, the teen was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk and had the right of way. Investigators found that the truck ran a red light when he struck the teen. This will likely turn into a personal injury lawsuit on the grounds of wrongful death against the trucking company. Below, we’ll take a look at what allegations might be made.

Analyzing a potential lawsuit against the trucking company 

In this case, if the plaintiffs decide to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, they will have ample ammunition against the trucking company. The truck driver violated a rule of traffic by running the red light, and the result of that violation left a teenager dead. The parents will likely file suit against the trucking company that employed the driver because the trucking company is vicariously liable for the death. In other words, if an employee commits a negligent act, their company is responsible for the negligent act committed. In this case, the negligent act led to death, so the parents could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the trucking company that employed the driver.

While the truck driver is responsible for the accident, the company that employed them is also responsible. The potential plaintiffs can make claims concerning the trucking company’s negligent entrustment of a vehicle to the negligent driver. They will likely run records on the driver’s CDL to determine if they had any previous violations for unsafe driving. They will further determine if the driver was drunk at the time of the accident, had been driving for too long without resting, and any other regulatory requirement placed on truck drivers.

Analyzing the defense 

This is a hard case to defend because the truck driver ran a red light when he struck the teen on the skateboard. In many cases, the trucking company would allege that the teen was operating the skateboard unsafely, and that’s why he was struck by their vehicle. However, that would be difficult to establish in this case. The truck driver may dispute the fact that he ran a red light and allege that he had the right of way when he struck the teen. The most probable outcome is that the trucking company will move to settle the lawsuit. The parents of the slain teen have a strong case.

Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer in Tampa Florida 

Florin Gray represents the interests of Tampa, FL residents who have been injured in truck accidents. Call our Tampa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin discussing your strategy for recovery immediately.

Source:

wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/pedestrian-crash-closes-part-of-gulf-to-bay-blvd-in-clearwater/