A FedEx semi rig, pulling two trailers full of packages and overnight letters overturned onto the Central Florida Parkway at I-4 in Orlando on Monday, October 14, sending hundreds of packages all over the highway and the surrounding embankment. 1
The accident occurred just after midnight. According to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, the driver of the semi made an improper lane change, side-swiped a car and hit a guardrail. The impact caused one of the Fedex trailers to burst open and fall off of the overpass unto the Central Florida Parkway. The semi driver sustained minor injuries. The woman driving the car was not injured. The mess closed parts of both I-4 and the Central Florida Parkway overnight as crews worked to clean up the debris.
FedEx issued the following statement after the accident,
“Our first concern was for the well-being of the driver and anyone else who may have been involved in last night’s accident in central Florida, and we are grateful that there were no serious injuries. Public safety and care for our customers’ packages are FedEx Ground’s top priorities.”
Recent FedEx accidents
The accident in Orlando is just one of several accidents this year involving FedEx trucks. In September, a man from Mary Esther, Florida was seriously injured when a FedEx delivery van turned in front of his motorcycle. 2 In addition, a Fedex trailer was involved in an accident in northern California last year that killed 10 persons and injured 39. 3 In that accident, the semi veered across of I-5 and hit a tour bus head-on that was carrying high school students from southern California. A 13-month investigation by the California State Highway Patrol failed to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Sometimes, even the best programs aren’t enough to prevent a serious accident. If you or someone you care about has been killed or critically injured in a truck accident, you need someone to help look out for your interests and those of your family, someone who will find out what really happened during the accident and who will fight for your rights in and out of court. Our lawyers have extensive experience in working with cases involving truck accidents. Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman are licensed to practice in Minnesota; however, they handled the recent FedEx case in another state by engaging a local attorney, who assisted them with local issues. These case often involve the possibility of suing in a number of states: where the accident happened, where the injured person resides, where FedEx has offices, etc. Your attorney will need to look at the laws of these states and determine which one will be the best one for your lawsuit.
Sources:
- http://www.clickorlando.com/news/fedex-truck-crashes-on-i4/35810552
- http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/20150916/NEWS/150919393
- http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bus-crash-probe-20150521-story.html
Our lawyers represent clients with personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against trucking companies. Many of these cases involve determining in which state to file the suit and which laws (federal and state) apply. We have worked with attorneys in several states to help people with these complex cases. We are a Minnesota law firm. Our lawyers are licensed to practice in MN.