According to paramedics, one person was killed and three injured in a multi-vehicle accident that took place east of Avenue Road in the eastbound express lanes of Highway 401 on May 20. The accident involved a dump truck and eight other vehicles. The dump truck apparently overturned onto one car, killing the driver inside, though it is not clear what caused the dump truck driver to lose control of the vehicle.
According to police, the dump truck struck several cars before overturning. The truck had been carrying what seemed to be a kind of sand, which spilled from the back of the truck and completely covered the car that it fell on. The car's driver died at the scene, and three other individuals suffered minor injuries.
All lanes of traffic on the highway were affected by the collision, which closed the eastbound express lanes of Highway 401 from Allen Road for nearly 12 hours. It took police about an hour to clear the highway of traffic. The lane closures caused congestion in the other eastbound lanes throughout the entire city.
When a commercial vehicle causes a serious accident involving fatalities or severe injuries, there might be multiple potential defendants if any of the affected parties wish to file personal injury or wrongful death claim for compensation. For example, the driver, the driver's employer, the vehicle maintenance company or the employer's parent company might all be held legally responsible.
A personal injury lawyer may review the official accident report to determine who was responsible. For example, if the accident occurred because of a poorly maintained vehicle, the maintenance company, employer and employer's parent company could be liable. If the driver was exhausted due to an unreasonable workload, claims could be filed against the driver and his or her employer.
Source: 680 News, "EB Highway 401 express lanes reopen after fatal dump truck crash," May 20, 2014
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