David White Dead, 10 Injured in St. Francis Co., AR, 18-wheeler Accident
St. Francis County, AR -- December 30, 2016, David White was killed, ten others injured, due to an accident where an 18-wheeler rear-ended a line of cars.
The following is a list of the injured people involved in the 18-wheeler accident:
- Regina White - 32
- Katie Montgomery - 49
- Michelle Jones - 39
- Amber Kennedy - 29
- Deenie Cress - 52
- Deann Rivera - 52
- Noe Cadena - 71
- Donna Cullum - 48
- Minor (identity not released)
- Minor (identity not released)
The Arkansas State Police released a report on the 7-vehicle accident, stating that the crash occurred on I-40 about two miles west of Forrest City.
The report indicates that six passenger vehicles were in a line moving slowly. Traffic was backed up due to an earlier accident. An 18-wheeler, driven by Noe Cadena, somehow failed to slow down in time. The 18-wheeler crashed into the back of David White's vehicle and caused a chain reaction with the other vehicles.
As a result of this collision, 68-year-old David White sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene of the crash. Those who were injured were taken to either Forrest City Medical Center or Regional One in Memphis, TN.
Authorities have not yet said if charges are being considered in connection with the accident. It's unclear if any particular factors contributed to the crash.
Investigations are ongoing at this time.
Map of the Area
Commentary
Accidents like this one can often bring on complications which many people don't consider. Not everyone has years of experience dealing with trucking companies and the kinds of obstacles that can arise following a truck accident. Our firm has been working truck accidents for nearly 30 years, and we have seen a lot of victims end up with no compensation or a lot less than they deserve simply because they were unaware of what they were walking into. An accident like this one--a lot of victims and a lot of potential factors--is rife with opportunity for a trucking company to point the finger at this or that and try to avoid liability for the damages.
The police report for this accident probably seems straight-forward to most people. Cars are waiting in traffic and an 18-wheeler fails to slow down in time, crashing into the back of the cars. What people may not realize is that these police reports are from convincing when used as evidence against a trucking company. Trucking company's have teams of lawyers whose sole purpose is to save the company as much money as possible. They can argue that weather was a factor, construction in the area created unsafe conditions, other drivers caused the truck driver to lose control, or any number of factors that either avoid or minimize the blame the trucking company is responsible for.
With an accident like this one, where so many people are affected, you can see how a trucking company might have a lot to lose. This usually means they'll fight even harder to avoid liability. With every vehicle affected by the crash, they have another chance to blame other vehicles--that driver was too close to the car in front of them, they weren't wearing seatbelts, their brake lights weren't working, etc. If a trucking company finds an explanation that could get them off the hook, better believe they'll take it.
People who aren't experienced with truck accidents don't usually know that these things can happen. As a result, they can often be left to the wind in terms of compensation. This is why it's so important for those affected by a truck accident to seek professionals who have experience with these truck accidents. An experienced truck accident attorney knows a police report isn't enough to build a case with. It takes an extensive independent investigation to gather the necessary evidence which can convince a trucking company to take responsibility for their role in the accident. Trucking companies can argue all they want when facts are missing. When those holes are filled in with irrefutable evidence, victims give themselves an advantage when seeking the compensation they deserve.
--Grossman Law Offices
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