In North Berwick, Maine, a train collided with a garbage truck. The tragic accident killed the driver of the garbage truck and left several of the trains passengers injured. One of the big questions now is about who will be responsible for the passengers injuries and hospital bills.
At the time of the incident, the warning bells and gates at the rail crossing had been working according to investigators. It was reported that the truck went through the warning gates and it the side of the train. Investigators found skid marks which show that the truck driver was trying to stop his vehicle.
The injured passengers will likely file a personal injury lawsuit to ensure that their hospital bills are paid for by the negligent parties. It will be interesting to see who the plaintiffs name as the defendant(s) in this case for their personal injury settlement.
In the past, these personal injury lawsuits have been filed against the driver of the truck which caused the crash. Most cases, by extension, the employer of the truck driver is named in the lawsuit. In this case, the driver’s employee is likely a town or the county. The plaintiff’s attorneys will need to prove that the driver’s negligibility caused the crash.