In the mid-morning on Tuesday, a big rig driven by 63-year-old Christopher B. Ayala, of San Francisco, was travelling westbound on I-80 in the middle lane near Reed Avenue and the Highway 50 connector in West Sacramento, not far from IKEA. For unknown reasons, he failed to slow down for merging traffic and ploughed into the traffic ahead of him.
He was going about 55 to 60 mph at the time of impact. Ayala slammed into the cars ahead of him, demolishing them and turning them around on the freeway.
The momentum of the truck carried it through the vehicles and onward down the roadway until it finally came to a stop against a tree.
Ayala was left in serious condition following the accident and had no memory of the details leading up to the collision.
It is not clear why Ayala failed to slow or stop for the traffic in front of him.
Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor involved in the wreck.
The precise cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The collision left a trail of debris and twisted metal which required the closure of I-80 from 10:30 a.m.when the accident occurred until the wreckage could be cleared until about 4:45 p.m.
cleared until about 4:45 p.m.
cleared until about 4:45 p.m.
I-80 traffic was diverted to eastbound Highway 50 until all lanes could be reopened.
Ayala suffered serious injuries. The drivers and passengers of other cars complained of injuries ranging from rib cage pain and minor abrasions, discomfort in a knee, a broken arm and ribs, a laceration to the head,and hurting cheek bone.
knee, a broken arm and ribs, a laceration to the head, and bruised cheek bone. Two of the passengers also told the police they had severe pain.
None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
Motor vehicles accidents involving big rigs often do not end well for the participants including drivers of other cars.
Miraculously, there were no fatalities which are often the case in big rig accidents.
Although the reported injuries were not as serious as they might have been at the scene, often times individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents will
experience the delayed onset of symptoms.
When you involved in an accident, the effects of adrenaline can mask injuries.
Symptoms can develop days later from soft tissue injuries and sometimes even later from spinal cord injuries or other structural damages caused by trauma.
As in all accidents, it is best to be checked out by medical professionals to determine the nature and extent of any injury. The sooner an injury is diagnosed and
treated, the better prospects are for effective treatment and recovery.
Major accidents involving big rigs can result in serious injuries and even death.
The assistance of a skilled and experienced attorney can help people recover damages for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, future medical care
and the loss of society and companionship of loved ones.
In cases where the cause of the accident is not clear or disputed, the assistance of an accident reconstruction expert may also be needed.
Experts can reconstruct how the accident happened by studying the reports, physical evidence, understanding physics and science and using advanced tools.
An accident injury attorney will work closely with an accident reconstruction expert to help understand the cause of the collision and establish liability. Without
the assistance of an attorney and the appropriate experts, an injured victim will have extreme difficulty in proving their cases and recovering their damages.
Catastrophic Injury Attorney Edward A Smith has been practicing personal injury law for over 30 years. Hiring an attorney that has adequate resources can make or break a case.
If you or a loved one have suffered from a catastrophic injury, contact the experienced catastrophic Injury Attorneys at the Edward A Smith Law Offices for a free consultation at (916) 921-6400 or toll free at 1-800-404-5400, www.autoaccident.com. Reviews of our office can be found on Yelp and Avvo.