A 23-year-old Kent State senior from Parma was killed when he was ejected from an SUV according to police sources. The truck accident occurred on Interstate 65 when a semi truck driven by an Ashville, Alabama, man collided with the SUV in which the student was a passenger.
Four other young men were in the SUV at the time, and the 22-year-old driver, along with the other passengers, was taken to an area hospital to be treated for injuries. There was no word as to their conditions or whether any of them were admitted for injuries. The group was said to be traveling home from a Florida vacation at the time of the crash. The truck driver was not injured.
Accidents involving semi trucks are often fatal or cause serious injuries for occupants of passenger vehicles. The large size of these trucks means that they carry a great deal of force in an accident, and the smaller size of a passenger vehicle, even a large SUV, does not provide as much protection for occupants as the driver of a large truck has in a collision. It is common for victims to be ejected in these crashes; while most ejected passengers are not wearing safety belts, a high-force impact crash can even injure those who are using restraints.
Victims of a semi-truck crash may benefit from the assistance of a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer may be able to help these victims collect damages for their injuries including payments for medical treatment and sums for their pain and mental anguish following a crash.
Source: WKYC, “Alabama: Kent State student killed in car accident,” April 1, 2013
