EMTs and Patient Killed in Georgia Ambulance Crash

By Grant Law Office on June 14, 2013

A 65-year-old patient and two emergency medical technicians were killed in a Georgia car accident involving a collision between their ambulance and a semitrailer. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the fatal truck accident occurred on state Highway 32 near the town of Ocilla in South Georgia. Officials say the ambulance had its lights and sirens on when a semi jackknifed across the centerline. The ambulance struck the left side of the semi and the driver, patient, and other medical technician were killed. It is unclear what caused the truck to jackknife.

Jackknifing is when a trailer pushes on a tractor from behind and rotates at an acute angle, like a folding pocketknife. Jackknifing is extremely dangerous for a number of reasons. Smaller vehicles can get crushed by the swinging trailer, and the momentum of the truck may force it into other vehicles as the truck driver struggles to bring it to a halt. Jackknife accidents can even prove dangerous after the truck has stopped because the positioning of the trailer will likely impair further motion of the truck. This means that the large tractor-trailer will be sitting in traffic as a giant hazard for approaching vehicles.

When someone is killed or injured in a jackknife accident, it is necessary to determine what caused the jackknife to occur. There are many potential causes of jackknife accidents, including equipment failure, adverse road conditions, and improper braking. Did the trailer veer out of control because the driver was speeding and had to brake too hard? Did the driver fail to perform an adequate inspection of the brakes before the trip? Did the truck owner fail to maintain the vehicle properly? Was the trailer improperly loaded? Did a defective truck part cause the crash?

The Georgia truck accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. help families get fair compensation following a fatal crash. We help victims of Georgia truck accidents pursue compensation for their significant losses. If you or a loved one has been injured, or if you have a lost a loved one in a Georgia auto accident, please contact us at (404) 995-3955 for a free consultation.