3 Unbelievable Truck Crashes That Easily Could Have Led to Wrongful Death Lawsuits (But Didn’t)

Colorado roads (especially during winter) are notorious for creating hazards to drivers, motorcyclists and truckers alike. The sheer power of 18 wheelers makes them especially deadly. Since the force delivered in an accident is related to an object’s mass and acceleration, and since trucks are much more massive than passenger cars (10x or more), they can deliver proportionately greater forces in crashes, acceleration being roughly equal. Given these colossal forces, it’s amazing that drivers and pedestrians can survive crashes or even close encounters with big rigs. But the following three stories of close wrongful death encounters show that miracles can, indeed, happen.

1. Chinese coal trucker defies death and gravity.

In a scene like something out of one of the Fast and Furious movies, a coal truck driver in China took an overly aggressive left that nearly sent him off a huge (400-foot). Police who investigated had to persuade the driver to climb to safety through the truck; he believed, fatalistically, that he would never survive the situation.

2. Out-of-control garbage truck disaster

Sanitation workers in the Big Apple work ridiculously hard, but overworked and bleary-eyed drivers pose serious dangers to themselves and others. Consider this ridiculous story from 2011 about a garbage truck worker who apparently thought he could fly. Unbelievably, he burst through a facility’s third floor and nearly rocketed off a la the Batmobile. Fortunately, the truck got stuck (later freed by sophisticated crane work). Had the forces at play been slightly different, this crash would have killed the driver and possibly other drivers or pedestrians below.

3. Between a hard place and another hard place

Kaleb Whitby, an Oregan driver, suffered what can only be described as a horrific nightmare earlier this year when a semi-truck spun out of control and jackknifed ahead of his pick up truck on the freeway. Unable to stop, he slammed into the semi truck, causing his vehicle to flip. Stuck and pinned, Whitby had no recourse as a second big rig hurtled towards him and the first truck. The impact collapsed his (by comparison) small truck like a flimsy beer can. Amazingly, not only did Whitby survive this too-close encounter with two trucks, but he also came away with just a few bruises. Others caught up in the crash weren’t as lucky; some drivers and others sustained medical problems that required hospitalization.

If someone you love was serious hurt or killed in a truck crash, our experienced and compassionate Denver wrongful death lawyers may be able to help you create an effective strategy to obtain fair compensation. Please contact us to explore and protect your rights.