Octavio Hernandez-Mora Injured In Cortland Township Truck Accident

Truck Accident - October 20, 2023

Octavio Hernandez-Mora, Driver Injured In Dekalb County Semi-Truck Accident By The Intersection of Somonauk Road and Fairview Road

Octavio Hernandez-Mora Injured In Cortland Township Truck Accident

CORTLAND TOWNSHIP, ILLINOIS (October 20, 2023) – A man identified as Octavio Hernandez-Mora was injured in a DeKalb County semi-truck accident by Somonauk Road and Fairview Road.

DeKalb County officials are saying that the accident took place early Thursday morning. A Las Vegas man was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck during a period of heavy fog.

That pickup truck collided with a Chevy van  after going through a stop sign. The van was transporting Octavio Hernandez-Mora as a passenger.

Both the driver of the Chevy van and the passenger exited the vehicle in order to view the damage from the collision. Shortly after that first collision, a semi-truck hauling gravel collided with the Chevy van.

Debris from the accident damaged a fourth vehicle that stopped to assist. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help all of the victims.

Octavio Hernandez-Mora and the driver of the Chevy van were both transported to Kishwaukee Hospital with major injuries. Police officers cited the driver of the semi-truck involved in the crash.

A full investigation into the Cortland Township gravel truck accident remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For DeKalb County Truck Accidents

Truck accidents tend to be very complex events and can be caused by many different things. According to the FMCSA, “Motor vehicle crashes are complex events. Usually they involve two or more vehicles. Elements that influence the occurrence of a crash may take place hours, days, or months before the crash. They include driver training and experience, vehicle design and manufacture, highway condition and traffic signaling, and weather conditions.” There are many different technologies that truck companies can use to help prevent collisions.

  • Truck companies can equip their vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems. This can help truck drivers remain in one lane of traffic and alert them to vehicles in their blind spots.
  • Truck companies can install forward collision avoidance systems on their trucks. This can help bring the truck to a safe stop even if a truck driver fails to see what’s ahead of them.
  • Truck companies can install anti-lock braking systems. This can help prevent the wheels of a truck from locking during braking.
  • Truck companies can also install cameras in their trucks that monitor if a truck driver closes their eyes for too long.

All truck drivers must exercise a great deal of care in order to avoid causing accidents. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-601, all drivers must reduce their speed in order to avoid collisions. No driver may operate a vehicle at a speed greater than what would be reasonable and prudent given the prevailing conditions of the road. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that fails to slow down to avoid hitting a vehicle ahead of them. These types of collisions nearly always involve drivers that are distracted, speeding or following the lead vehicle too closely.

Truck drivers have difficult jobs and are put under a lot of stress to complete their routes as quickly as possible. It is therefore not surprising that a large portion of truck accidents involve fatigued drivers. The CDC estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours can reduce a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a BAC of 0.05%. If a truck driver was working at the time of a collision, their employer could be held at fault. Victims of semi-truck accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries.

  • Even a low impact collision will likely leave victims with whiplash injuries.
  • A large portion of truck accident suffer traumatic brain injuries. These can range from mild concussions to more severe trauma.
  • Semi-trucks have large fuel tanks that can catch fire during collisions. It is common for victims to sustain burn injuries.
  • Psychological injuries are also common after truck accidents. This can manifest through anxiety, depression and a general aversion to being on the road.

Truck accidents are often highly preventable. They are much more common when truck companies put profits above safety. To make matters worse, truck companies will often do everything that they can to deny responsibility for any collision involving their driver. Any person that is injured due to the negligence of a truck driver may be able to seek aid through a personal injury claim. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating DeKalb County Truck Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to Octavio Hernandez-Mora and the driver injured in this crash. It is our hope that they will both be able to fully recover. There needs to be some accountability for what happened. This crash should not have taken place and was preventable.

Do you need more information about a DeKalb County semi-truck accident? Our team of roadway safety advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to getting accident victims justice and holding truck companies accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.