A highway worker died after a trucker struck him and then tried to leave the scene of the accident. The worker was on duty picking up trash at the time of the incident and was reportedly wearing a uniform designed to make the worker more visible.
According to police and prosecutors, who have accused the trucker of reckless homicide. As of the last reports, he was in jail in lieu of a $175,000 bond. His truck was surrendered in Ohio, where it was later located.
Police recently reported that, shortly before the fatal work-related accident, someone else had reported the trucker to authorities via a 911 call. Supposedly, the driver was traveling too fast and was also camping in the left lane and operating the truck in a reckless manner.
This truck driver obviously has some serious legal troubles with which he will have to deal in the upcoming months, although these seem largely to be of his own making. On the other hand, the family of the worker who died is left mourning the loss of their loved one and, financially, picking up the pieces after this unexpected tragedy.
There will be several legal components to their next steps when it comes to making their ends meet without a breadwinner. For one, they may need to start by filing a workers’ compensation claim for survivor benefits, which should give prompt help for things like medical bills and some of the man’s lost wages. In order to get additional compensation, they may also look at the possibility of filing a wrongful death case.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Semi driver charged in fatal crash was reported driving recklessly in 911 call minutes beforehand: police,” Howard Ludwig, Feb. 2, 2018.
