A tragic accident on the Cross Bronx Expressway resulted in the death of a young mother. The accident happened just after midnight on August 5, 2020. The victim, identified as 27-year-old Keara Rosa from Newark, had just purchased a 2002 Honda Civic two weeks before the crash.

An Instagram post by Ms. Rosa stated that “hard work pays off.” She had been saving money to purchase a vehicle. 

In the early morning hours, she had pulled off to the side of the road near Marmion Avenue on the eastbound side of the Cross Bronx Expressway. She was standing outside of the vehicle trying to determine what was wrong with her car.

A Freightliner truck suddenly slammed into the back of the Honda. The vehicle was violently pushed forward, causing Ms. Rosa to be pinned between the overpass wall and her vehicle. She died at the accident scene from injuries caused by the crash.

Allegedly, the 55-year-old truck driver was in the right lane of the three-lane road. He was heading east when he suddenly swerved to the left to avoid slow traffic. As he swerved, he lost control of the Freightliner and hit a Lexus, a Toyota Corolla, and a Toyota Camry before sideswiping the concrete divider.

The truck driver swerved back to the right and hit Ms. Rosa’s vehicle. The truck driver did not sustain injuries in the accident.

However, a woman in the Lexus and a man in the Toyota Corolla went to Saint Barnabas Hospital with minor injuries. A woman in the Toyota Camry did not sustain injuries.

Truck Accidents Deadly for Others Involved in an Accident

Truck accident fatalities slightly increased from 2017 to 2018. There were 4,951 people killed in truck accidents during 2018. Eighty (82) percent of the people who died in truck accidents were occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists. 

The data from truck accidents consistently demonstrate year after year that accidents involving large trucks are more deadly and dangerous for occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. 

In 2018, approximately 151,000 people sustained injuries in large truck accidents, which was an increase of about two percent from 2017. Seventy-four (74) percent of the truck accident injuries were occupants of other vehicles and nonoccupants. 

Semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other large trucks are a vital part of commerce in the United States. We rely on these vehicles to transport goods throughout the country. However, sharing the road with large trucks can be deadly.

Injuries Caused by Large Truck Accidents

Victims of large truck accidents have a high risk of sustaining catastrophic injuries and disabilities. A large truck can crush a passenger vehicle, causing the occupants to sustain multiple life-threatening injuries. A pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a large truck has a high chance of dying from the injuries caused by the accident.

Common truck accident injuries include, but are not limited to:

The recovery period for a truck accident injury can take many months or years. Some victims never recover fully from the injuries sustained in a truck crash. They are unable to work, care for themselves, or return to normal activities because of the negligence or wrongdoing or one or more parties.

Who is Responsible for the Consequences of a Truck Accident?

In many cases, the truck driver is responsible for the cause of the crash. Errors, mistakes, negligence, or intentional wrongdoing can be factors in the cause of the truck accident. Factors that can play a role in the cause of a large truck crash include:

In addition to the truck driver, other parties might be liable for damages in a truck accident case.

The trucking company may be liable for negligence related to hiring, supervision of drivers, training, and vehicle maintenance. Trucking companies that push drivers to exceed hours of service or take other risks to meet unreasonable deadlines could be liable if the truck driver causes an accident.

Shippers and loaders may also be liable if improperly loading the truck or overloading the truck contributed to the cause of an accident. Repair and maintenance companies, as well as truck manufacturers, could be liable if defective parts or negligent repairs contributed to the cause of a truck crash.

A truck accident lawyer investigates the crash to identify all parties who might be liable for damages. Suing all liable parties for a truck crash increases your chance of recovering full compensation for your injuries, damages, and losses caused by a truck accident. 

Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in New York City

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Manhattan, NY, and need legal help, contact our New York City personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. to schedule a free consultation.

Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C.
100 Wall St 15th Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007