A delivery truck was traveling west on a Virginia road behind a box truck. For some unknown reason, the driver of the delivery truck rear-ended the box truck. The force of the impact pushed both commercial vehicles off the road.
The box truck slammed into a utility pole. During the crash, the driver of the box truck was thrown out of his vehicle. When emergency responders arrived, they discovered the box truck driver died from the injuries he suffered in the crash.
The driver of the delivery truck did not suffer any observable injuries. According to law enforcement officials, no charges were filed as of this writing. However, it is uncertain whether charges are pending.
No information was provided regarding whether and for whom the box truck driver was in the performance of work related duties at the time of the accident. If he was, his family may be entitled to death benefits under the Virginia workers’ compensation insurance program. These benefits generally cover funeral and burial costs and include a settlement regarding the loss of the worker’s income.
In addition, the deceased victim’s family may be entitled to file a third-party claim against the delivery truck driver and his employer. Employers may be held liable for the actions of employees involved in accidents while driving a company’s commercial vehicles. If the driver is proved negligent and that negligence caused the death of the victim, the court may award the family potentially needed financial restitution that could help the family move forward financially after the loss of their loved one’s income.
Source: hamptonroads.com, Part of Va. Beach road closed after fatal crash, John Holland and Lauren King, Dec. 19, 2013