Fullerton resident Faith V. Wilson was one of four people killed in a Ludlow big rig accident on the 40 Freeway on November 9, 2008. According to this news report, the 11/9/08 accident occurred after a Porsche Cayenne, in which the 66-year-old Wilson was a passenger, was rear-ended by a tractor trailer and pushed off the roadway. Wilson was one of the victims who died on the scene. The names of the other deceased victims have not yet been released.
This is a horrific and tragic accident for the families of all four victims who were killed in this tractor trailer crash. My heart goes out to all of them.
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the big rig was at fault for this accident. We’ve seen time and again that when big rigs collide with passenger vehicles, the results can be devastating. This is largely because of the size and weight of commercial trucks. Big rigs can have a max gross weight of 80,000 pounds, and even more if they are carrying an oversized load. This is a striking difference when compared to the average passenger vehicle weight of about 4,000 pounds.
California ranks among the highest in the United States for big rig or large commercial truck accidents. In 2006, there were more than 12,800 fatal injury big rig accidents in California, according to statistics provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which monitors trucking companies.
This tragic accident could have happened because of many reasons. The driver of the big rig may have fallen asleep at the wheel or could have been impaired or distracted. The big rig driver may have been speeding or the tractor trailer may have simply been so overloaded that the driver lost control of his truck and rear-ended the Porsche. Another possibility that cannot be ruled out is that there could have been a mechanical malfunction with the big rig.
The families of Faith Wilson and the other victims would be well-advised to retain the services of an experienced California big rig accident attorney. If the driver of the tractor trailer is determined to be at fault, then the victims’ families would be entitled to significant compensation. Both the driver and the trucking company would be held liable for the accident, injuries and fatalities. Where there is wrongdoing or negligence involved, families of deceased victims are entitled to wrongful death claims. Such claims compensate victims’ families for the loss of a family member who has been killed because of someone else’s negligence.