Multi-Truck Collision on I-80 Puts Two People in the Hospital
Most of the time, when we talk about multi-vehicle accidents, we mean multiple passengers cars, trucks or SUVs. On September 17, 2016, however, three semi-trucks ended up crashing into one another. WKBN 27 quoted Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Homrighausen as saying “One vehicle that was in the right lane struck the vehicle in the left lane, causing both vehicles to hydroplane, cross the medians into the westbound lanes of traffic. As they did, they both overturned,” and then a third truck – which tried to brake in time but could not – ended up colliding with the first two vehicles and breaking open the trailer.
Miraculously, only two of the people involved in the accident sustained injuries: truck driver Duane Borgelt of Beaverdam, Ohio and Mississippi resident James Van Norman, who was a passenger in Borgelt’s truck. The initial cause of the accident is still unknown (WFMJ says they “tapped” each other), though the driver of the third truck, Samuel Magee, “was issued a failure to control citation.”
A bad accident that could have been much, much worse
Commercial truck accidents are serious business. In the I-80 crash this weekend, the force of their hit was enough to flip both trucks onto their sides. Had such a collision involved passenger vehicles, the chances are good that more people would have ended up in the hospital with injuries. An accident with a commercial truck on a busy Ohio interstate like I-80 could lead to:
- Spinal cord injuries, including partial or full paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and skull fractures
- Organ and soft tissue damage
- Loss of limb
- Permanent loss of vision and hearing
Under the most tragic circumstances, drivers or passengers could have died in such an accident.
The news report cites Sgt. Homrighausen as saying the trucks hydroplaned – which means the I-80 was wet, at least in the area of Hubbard. If there was enough water on the ground, it could have hidden potholes, missing pieces of tarmac or uneven roadway, and there may have been debris in the road that was difficult to see. Between the poor weather conditions and the almost inevitable panic that would have set in as the driver lost control, the truck accident could have been far worse.
We wish the injured driver and passenger a speedy recovery.
Crandall & Pera Law handles complex commercial truck accident claims in Ohio and Kentucky. If you or your loved one sustained an injury in a collision with a semi-truck, we want to hear your story. You can reach our Ohio truck accident attorneys by calling or you can use our contact form to learn more.