One of the most important responsibilities of any driver is to avoid obstacles, such as other vehicles in the roadway. When a driver fails to do so, serious accidents can follow. In fact, a large number accidents that occur here in Louisiana and across the country are caused by drivers who are not paying attention to their surroundings or are impaired.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., a vehicle was headed eastbound on Louisiana 442. At the same time, a garbage truck was collecting trash at locations on the highway. The 64-year-old man driving the vehicle somehow failed to notice that the garbage truck had come to a stop and plowed into the back of it.
The car driver was killed by the injuries he suffered in the crash. Unfortunately, a 33-year-old sanitation worker who was at the back of the truck collecting trash at the time was struck along with the garbage truck. He suffered serious injuries and was transported to a hospital in Hammond by helicopter. At last report, his condition was considered to be critical. Even though police do not believe impairment was a factor in the accident, toxicology tests are being performed on both drivers.
The injured sanitation worker will most likely receive workers’ compensation benefits to help with the financial impact this accident will have on his life and family. As would be the case in other serious accidents, he may also file a third-party personal injury claim against the estate of the deceased driver. Any damages awarded by the the court if negligence is successfully established, could supplement any benefits he receives.
Source: nola.com, “One killed, one injured when vehicle rams garbage truck”, Kim Chatelain, March 22, 2016
