A head-on collision between a bus and a semi-truck claimed two lives in Illinois on an early December day in 2018. The driver of the truck and a passenger on the bus involved in the accident lost their lives, and other passengers on the bus suffered injuries that required medical attention. Just recently, the widow of the bus victim who died in the crash filed a lawsuit claiming losses for his wrongful death.
She alleges that the driver of the truck failed to use reasonable care in the operation of the truck, and as a result her lawsuit includes as defendants the owner of the truck and his trucking company. According to information released about the crash, the truck driver allowed his rig to cross the center line of the road and crash head-on with the bus.
When it comes to preparing personal injury claims, including those based on truck accidents and wrongful death actions, knowing who and what parties to include as defendants can be complex. In this case, the legal theory of respondeat superior may allow the victim’s widow to seek damages from the truck driver’s employer as that entity may be held vicariously liable for the driver’s actions.
Truck accidents, including this tragedy that occurred on the roads of Illinois, can hurt victims and affect their loved ones when those victims perish from their injuries. The wife of the bus victim has chosen to seek the recovery of her damages through the courts, and others who have suffered losses in personal injury incidents may too wish to learn more about their options under the law.