Gilreath & Associates Pursuing Damages after Negligent Truck Accident

By Staff Writer

On April 7, 2014, a fatal accident—involving two semi-trucks and a passenger vehicle, causing two deaths and serious injuries to a third occupant —occurred near exit 15 on Interstate 81 in Hamblen County, Tennessee.

Complaints against Fleetwood Transport Services, Inc. and Childers Transport, Inc. for economic and non-economic damages have been filed. The plaintiffs have hired truck accident attorney Sidney Gilreath of Gilreath & Associates in Knoxville as their counsel. They allege that the two companies did not comply with federal safety regulations. This negligence resulted in the companies not ensuring its drivers were qualified to drive a semi.

The occupants of the passenger vehicle (Horan Morales, Omar Bautista and Elizebhet Bautista) were driving north on Interstate 81. A semi-truck (owned by Fleetwood) changed lanes without signaling, forcing Morales’ vehicle off the road and into a pylon. The impact caused the vehicle to go back into traffic and become entangled with the semi’s trailer. The vehicle was drug along the highway, dislodged and then hit by a second large vehicle (owned by Childers).

Horan Morales and Elizebhet Bautista unfortunately died at the scene, and Omar Bautista suffered severe enough injuries to require hospitalization and long-term therapy.

Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that the equipment they put on the road is safe and that their employees are qualified to drive big rigs, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). The specifics of the accident suggest that Fleetwood and Childers were negligent in the hiring, training and supervision of their drivers. Moreover, it also suggests that they did not ensure that they understood or followed FMCSR regulations.

This case is currently on file with the U.S. District court in Tennessee. To learn more about this and similar cases, visit https://www.sidgilreath.com/trucking-accidents.html or call Gilreath & Associates at (866) 289-7280 for more information.

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