Dump truck rollover leaves 2 injured

Two Massachusetts men were injured in an apparent commercial vehicle accident on Route 24 on Sep. 3. A dump truck transporting engines and other automotive parts lost its rear wheels and axle, according to a state police trooper. The truck rolled and landed on top of a silver Hyundai sedan.

According to the state police, the crash occurred near the ramp for Airport Road, south of Exit 8A at approximately 11:40 a.m. The dump truck, a 1986 International, had lettering on the door representing a Newton business, but police could not confirm who owned the vehicle. The driver of the dump truck, a 58-year-old man from Mattapan, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital’s emergency room.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 47-year-old man from North Dartmouth, went to the same hospital and was in good condition, according to a hospital representative. The state trooper said the accident could have been worse. He speculated that anyone in the back seat of the Hyundai would have been killed by the dump truck and that it missed the Hyundai’s driver by only about a foot. He said the investigation was ongoing and that the accident may have been the result of driver error or mechanical failure.

Route 24 was reduced to one lane following the crash, and traffic was backed up for almost a mile until the wreckage was cleared approximately two hours later. People who have been injured in car accidents may be entitled to compensation for hospital expenses, lost wages or other damages. In a case like this, an investigation into the cause of the crash affect potential civil lawsuits. If an accident is caused by mechanical failure, for example, then the vehicle manufacturer may have liability. In a case where an accident is caused by the error of a commercial driver, the employer may be liable.

Source: The Herald News, “Two injured in dramatic Route 24 crash in Fall River“, Michael Holtzman, September 04, 2014