Two people were left stuck inside a hybrid vehicle in Collier County, Florida, after a dump truck hit it. The truck impacted with the side of the car and dragged it off the highway near US 41 and Rattlesnake Hammock Road in East Naples. Nearby residents reported hearing the loud sound of the accident during the afternoon, and some reached the scene before emergency response teams.
According to work crews who extricated the victims from the vehicle, the hybrid’s higher-voltage electricity lines delayed the process when it came to the passenger, who had to be administered an IV on-site. The driver of the vehicle, an 81-year-old woman who sustained serious injuries, was later transported to Lee Memorial Hospital. Her passenger, an 88-year-old man, required an airlift to the same facility as he was in critical condition, but he later died from the injuries he received. The driver who caused this dump truck accident was left unharmed.
Although the cause of this incident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, the surviving victim may decide to seek damages from the truck driver or the company that employed him at the time of the accident. Any facts that the accident inquiry discovers could be used to strengthen the victim’s case as it progresses.
Vehicular accidents that involve waste trucks and other large vehicles can cause massive pain and suffering or death. Victims often have to deal with high medical expenses, and many seek the assistance of truck accident attorneys who could help them recoup these unforeseeable costs.
Source: NBC 2, “Dump truck slams hybrid, kills 1,” Rick Ritter, March 14, 2013