We see them every day on the road. We pass them every day as we drive to work, the store, school and other places that are part of our daily lives. Dump trucks, 18-wheelers and other work trucks are on the roads with us. But these trucks are driven by people who are doing so to earn a living and sometimes that employment comes at a high price. Sometimes, the unthinkable happens.
A Hammond man was killed April 21 when the dump truck that he was operating went off the road. The truck also went into a ditch and then went airborne, finally stopping when it crashed into a tree. The truck wreck is being investigated. Though it is not believed that the driver was impaired, it is routine to run toxicology testing in such accidents.
Loved ones who are left behind have a long road ahead of them in dealing with the terrible grief this tragic loss brings into their lives. On top of that, they will have a funeral to arrange and pay for. Funeral costs can be staggering. They may also have other expenses to worry about covering for the deceased, on top of everything else.
The law allows families who have suffered such a tragic loss to seek compensation and restitution for the financial hardship they now face in addition to the loss of their loved one. A Louisiana personal injury lawyer may be able to help surviving family members understand what their rights are and what steps they can take to help alleviate some of the financial burdens they may now face.
Source: WDSU News, “Crash kills Hammond truck driver,” Jonathan Shelley, April 21, 2014
