Seven people were killed in Upstate New York when a semi trailer became disconnected and crossed the center line, hitting a minivan. The semi was heading south on Route 13, about 25 miles south of Syracuse, when the trailer detached and collided with the minivan that was heading north. The minivan was ripped apart.
The minivan was carrying 8 people, and 7 of them, including children, died. The survivor was taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. The Cortland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fatal accident.
Was the Trailer Hitch Defective or Poorly Maintained?
In cases where a trailer becomes unhitched, it is generally for one or more of the following reasons:
- The trailer hitch or some part of the hitching system is defective;
- The semi trailer and hitch were poorly maintained; or
- The trailer was incorrectly hitched to the semi tractor unit.
The semi tractor and trailer need to be carefully examined with this in mind by an investigative team representing the family of those killed in the accident and the survivor. When our semi truck accident lawyers are hired, they assemble the best forensic engineers, accident reconstruction specialists and other experts and launch an independent investigation of the accident. Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman are lead lawyers for these cases.
For more information, read about truck accident lawsuit liability and who you can sue for personal injury and wrongful death.