Mississippi Injury Lawyer Blog

Residents of a Hernando, MS subdivision are worried that a rise in the number of large trucks on Old Highway 51/Memphis St. poses a serious threat for trucking accidents, according to The Desoto Times Tribune. Residents from Laurelwood Subdivision, located on Old Highway 51, recently spoke with Ward 4 Alderman Jamie Tipton of Hernando about the danger of speeding trucks so close to a residential area and a gym that is often occupied by children.

Three potential solutions to the problem have been put forward. Unified Waste Disposal manager Jim Becker has already established a rule that the company's drivers may not exceed 20 miles per hour while driving down the relatively small road.
Residents suggested that drivers should use Highway 51 instead of Old 51, and enter the street from the other end. Unfortunately, the tight right-hand turn required for this solution would create additional safety issues, according to Becker. Chip Johnson, the mayor of Hernando, offered a compromise in which the Mississippi Department of Transportation would conduct a study of the improvements necessary to make the right-hand turn safe for trucks.

Finally, Becker offered a third option of having commercial traffic enter Old Highway 51/Memphis St. from another small road off of Parkway.

In any event, it is apparent that something needs to be done. It is a well known fact that trucking accidents do occur, and when they do, they are often much more severe than a car to car accident given the size and weight of the truck as compared with the vehicles with which they are colliding. Truckers are paid to move freight quickly. When they feel pressured to push the speed limit or drive a few extra hours before resting, other drivers are at risk. When accidents occur, it is important to quickly secure the driver's DOT log books and other travel information in order to determine whether the trucker and/or the employer was acting irresponsibly.

Continue reading "Hernando, MS Residents Concerned about Truck Traffic" »

A tractor trailer accident claimed the life of Byhalia, MS resident Jerry R. Smith, on Wednesday, July 20th. According to The Clarion Ledger, the automobile collision occurred on State Line Road in Southaven, MS. The impact of the collision was such that the hood of Smith's truck was lodged underneath the 18 wheeler, and emergency personnel had to pry the door open to get to him. The accident happened at around 4:15 p.m., and Smith did not survive the accident. The driver of the tractor-trailer was unharmed.

Continue reading "Byhalia, MS Motorist Killed in Southaven Tractor Trailer Accident" »

On Wednesday, a tractor trailer accident on I-59 in Hattiesburg, MS involving two 18-wheelers and one pickup truck claimed the life of a Foxworth MS man. According to WLBT in Jackson MS, his tractor trailer collided with the pick-up truck then the other 18-wheeler resulting in a fiery crash that sent a smoke plume in the air that could be seen for miles. "It was horrific, it was just a very, very bad accident, one of the worst I have ever seen." said Lamar County Coroner Anna Miller. Several other people were taken to a local hospital but no information was given on their conditions.

According to Mississippi Department of Transportation officials, one of the tractor trailers hit the foundation of an overhead highway sign causing it to fall across traffic. Also, one of the tractor trailers was loaded with power poles that were spilled across the interstate during the accident. It is still unclear how the trucks became entangled, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation. In a tractor trailer accident, it is often difficult to determine the cause. Many factors and variables must be considered -- Was there speeding, improper lane changing, following too closely or reckless driving involved? Were all of the commercial tractor trailers operating according to proper safety requirements?

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased, and to the others injured that they may have a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, the reality of a truck accident like this is that many of those involved will have to deal with their losses, personal injuries, medical bills, and stress for quite some time in addition to the questions surrounding an investigation. A major accident is difficult enough to recover from, and if you have been involved in one, you need the help of an experienced Mississippi Truck Accident attorney to protect your rights. Trucking companies have teams of lawyers protecting their interests, don't wait to protect yours!

One man is dead and two others were injured in a tractor trailer accident on I-59 near Samford Road just north of Hattiesburg MS according to a report by the Laurel Leader-Call. Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Todd Miller said the incident occurred shortly before noon Tuesday. The driver of tractor trailer failed to stop in time and smashed into a line of cars stopped in a construction zone. The speed at impact was evident, as one victim had to be flown out by Baptist LifeFlight to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg after being extracted from the demolished vehicle by emergency crews. Several of the vehicles involved ended up in the median and the tractor trailer ended up partially into the northbound lane of Interstate 59.

Many factors likely contributed to this deadly accident; there was construction going on, there was possibly the presence of smoke from a controlled burn in the area nearby, but one factor seemingly stands out above the rest here: the speed of the tractor trailer. This is an all too common problem in construction zones. In fact, in its Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) traffic enforcement guidelines, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) identifies speeding as one of the most prevalent CMV violations on the road today. As evidenced here, a very serious risk to persons operating smaller automobiles on our roads and highways exists due to the size and weight of tractor trailers. The NHTSA has worked for decades to reduce this risk by passing tough restrictions on the trucking industry and has recently amended regulation on tractor trailers to strengthen braking requirements. The new rule requires most heavy truck tractors to achieve a 30 percent reduction in stopping distance compared to current levels.

Continue reading "Deadly Mississippi Truck Accident in I-59 Construction Zone" »

A school field trip took a bad turn in Calhoun City, Mississippi yesterday. WREG reported that just after 2pm on February 8, an 18-wheeler truck and two Choctaw County School buses collided on MS 8, about 40 miles south of Oxford. According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the tractor trailer and the first bus side swiped each other, and then the tractor trailer collided with the second bus head-on. Unfortunately, two teachers, one of them driving the bus, and the truck driver were killed. Approximately 17 of the students were taken to local hospitals by ambulance, private vehicles and one student was airlifted to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Luckily, none of the students appear to have life threatening injuries.

Continue reading "Fatal Mississippi Truck Accident Involves Two School Buses" »

A tractor trailer collided with an Ackerman, MS high school bus carrying students on MS 8 about 40 miles south of Oxford, MS, killing three adults and hospitalizing at least 10 students. According to reports, at approximately 2 p.m. the semi-tractor trailer sideswiped the first bus before colliding into the second bus head on. Due to the severity of the crash, it took over 6 hours to clear the crash scene. The cause of the accident is still being investigated by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

WMCTV News Story

Continue reading "North Mississippi Tractor Trailer Accident Kills Three" »

One man was killed and another seriously injured on U.S. Highway 82 in Oktibbeha County when a tractor-trailer apparently rear-ended a Dodge pickup truck, pushing it into a blue Ford tractor. The driver of the tractor was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash while the driver of the Dodge pickup was air-lifted to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. No identities have been released at this time.

It is important to remember that if you have been involved in a serious automobile accident, or if you have lost a loved one to a crash, you should not speak with the at-fault driver's insurance carrier until you have consulted an attorney about your rights. Insurance companies and trucking companies, who are looking only at their bottom line, will often attempt to persuade unrepresented parties to settle for less than they may be entitled to.

Source: Starkville Daily News

Continue reading "Driver Killed in Oktibbeha County Tractor-Trailer Crash " »