Pennsylvania Truck Accident Proves Fatal for Driver
Posted by Staff | Posted in Collisions, Pennsylvania, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death | Posted on 02-02-2012 |
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Rocco Antonelli, 58, of Philadelphia, was killed in a Pennsylvania truck accident after his box truck was hit by a tractor-trailer on the Interstate 78. According to a news report in The Express-Times, the fatal crash occurred the morning of January 31, 2012. Officials say Antonelli was the driver of a box truck that was parked on the shoulder of the highway about one mile west of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border in Williams Township.
State police officials say a 2006 Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by Alexandro Luis Morales slammed into Antonelli’s box truck, swerved to the left, and landed in the center median. Antonelli died from his injuries the same day. He was apparently on the job, delivering the box truck for a company to another company. An investigation is ongoing.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Rocco Antonelli for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pennsylvania Truck Accidents
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s 2010 Crash Facts and Statistics, there were a total of 5,846 truck accidents in Pennsylvania of which 145 were fatal and 2,807 involved injuries. A large number of commercial truck accidents in Pennsylvania involved vehicle failures related to tires and wheels, brakes and unsecured or overloaded trailers.
Causes and Compensation Issues
Based on this news report, it is unclear as to what led to this tragic crash. Why did Morales lose control of the tractor-trailer and strike the box truck that was parked on the shoulder? Was Morales fatigued, inattentive, distracted or otherwise negligent at the time? Was there some type of truck malfunction that caused Morales to swerve and hit the box truck? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
If Morales is determined to have been at fault, then, both he and his employer can be held liable for Antonelli’s wrongful death. Antonelli’s family members may also be able to claim workers compensation benefits from his employer because he was on the job at the time of this accident. Families of deceased victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer who will clearly explain their legal rights and options.
