Georgia residents who live in Pickens County may have heard about the tanker truck crash that occurred on U.S. Highway 123 on March 26. That morning, the driver of a commercial tanker was turning from Highway 123 onto Highway 124 when he sideswiped a commercial Chevy Colorado pickup that was pulling a trailer and heading east on Highway 124.
The accident took place close by the Greenville-Pickens Speedway near the Greenville County line. Following the accident, the tanker truck driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The pickup truck operator suffered multiple injuries. While the results are not clear as of yet, he may have suffered broken bones and a head injury.
The pickup driver, according to a family friend who spoke with him at the hospital, says that the tanker truck driver failed to yield at a yield sign for the intersection. The tanker had crashed into the pickup’s driver-side wheel, spinning it.
South Carolina Highway Patrol and a Pickens County Hazardous Materials Response unit arrived shortly at the scene. The accident led to at least one lane of traffic being blocked on Highway 123. Traffic was backed up for at least a mile. The crash, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. was cleared up by 3 p.m. that same day.
If the tanker truck driver indeed failed to yield, he would be responsible for the other party’s injuries, vehicle damage and other losses. When commercial trucks are involved in car accidents, victims may sue the applicable trucking companies. However, it may be a good idea to have a lawyer on the case. Legal counsel may hire investigators to find out just how the trucker was negligent; for instance, the trucker could have been distracted, drowsy or intoxicated. The lawyer may then negotiate for a fair settlement, litigating if one cannot be agreed upon.
