Construction zones or areas on highways and major roads throughout Delaware can pose serious hazards to construction workers, and motorists who fail to slow down and adhere to road signs and traffic rules concerning driving in construction zones can cause severe collisions in which other motorists are also injured. One such accident happened recently on a stretch of I-95 in Delaware, highlighting the injury risks linked to highway construction zones. According to a report from NBC News, the collision involved a pickup truck and construction equipment that included an asphalt milling machine. Our Delaware injury lawyers want to discuss the recent crash with you and provide you with more information about filing a claim following a motor vehicle collision in a highway construction zone.
Details of the Severe Crash on I-95
What are the details of the recent construction zone accident? According to the NBC News report and an additional report from CBS News, the accident occurred in Wilmington around 6:15 a.m. earlier this month when a pickup truck crashed into a construction zone on I-95. The collision happened in the southbound lane of I-95, and it resulted in the highway stretch between Route 202 (Concord Pike) and Route 52 being closed for approximately seven hours. No construction workers were injured, but the driver of the pickup truck was killed in what news reports described as a “fiery crash.”
Those reports indicated that the pickup truck and the construction equipment “melted together in the fire.” The crash occurred during a weekday morning commute. According to an article in Delaware Online, the reason for the collision was not clear. One of the police officers at the scene reported that “the truck entered into the closed left lane of the ongoing construction zone and collided with several construction barrels.” The police spokesperson indicated that, after colliding with those construction barrels, “the truck continued southbound, striking a road sign before entering the construction work area where the vehicle collided with a slip-form paver,” a machine that is “used to spread out, form and apply a finish to concrete.”
Injuries in Construction Zones on Highways
When car accident injuries happen in construction zones, what do injured construction workers or injured vehicle occupants need to know?
If a negligent motorist causes a collision that also results in injuries to other motorists, those other motorists may be able to file a claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance or to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Perhaps more importantly for injured construction workers, this is the type of scenario where workers’ compensation is no longer an exclusive remedy. If a third party like a negligent motorist causes injuries, an injured construction worker may be able to seek workers’ compensation benefits in addition to filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault motorist.
Contact a Delaware Accident Lawyer Today
Whether you were injured in a motor vehicle collision on a highway or injured while doing construction work in a construction zone on a Delaware highway, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. An experienced Delaware injury attorney at our firm can speak with you about both car accident claims and construction accident cases affecting workers. Contact Freibott Law online or call us at our office in Wilmington: (302) 633-9000.