Tractor-Trailer Accident Lands Two in Hospital
A serious accident occurred recently at the intersection of Sassman Road and FM 1625. A tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle collided, sending two people to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt, which was quite lucky as tractor-trailers can cause severe injuries and even fatalities. Truck accidents in the United States kill thousands each year, and if you do make it through one, your medical bills will likely be very high.
Causes and Commonalities
Simply because of their size, tractor-trailers can cause devastation if they are involved in traffic accidents. Tractor-trailers carry immense weight, and if that weight strikes your vehicle, it can lead to injuries from cuts and bruises to traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord issues. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimate almost 4,900 fatal accidents that involved large trucks or buses, and around 116,000 injury crashes.
There are so many different causes for this type of accident, which can make it difficult to determine who should be held liable for your injuries. However, many of the most common causes tend to pinpoint alleged negligence on the part of the truck driver. Examples include speeding or other types of reckless driving, substance use (alcohol or drugs), driving longer than the FMCSA rules recommend (leading to sleep deprivation), or poorly maintained equipment on the truck.
If You Are Injured
If you have been through an accident with a tractor-trailer, you may escape relatively unscathed like the Sassman Road victims, or you may have life-threatening injuries. If you believe that your injuries happened because of another driver’s negligence, you can try to bring suit against them to hold them liable. You may bring suit even if you fear that your injuries were partly your fault; Texas law states that unless your percentage of fault is higher than 50 percent, you may still recover.
Be advised that if you think the driver of the tractor-trailer caused your injuries, you may be able to show that their employer is liable for their employee’s negligent behavior. This principle is called respondeat superior or vicarious liability, and it feeds into the idea that employers have a duty to ensure their employees act appropriately (though there are exceptions where the employer cannot foresee their employee’s conduct).
Can a New Braunfels Truck Accident Lawyer Assist You?
The accident at Sassman Road was a relatively minor one, thankfully for all involved. Unfortunately, if you are involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, you may not be as lucky as the injured there. The dedicated New Braunfels truck accident attorneys at the Bettersworth Law Firm can help you plan how best to seek justice for the harm you have suffered. Contact our offices today at 888-392-0039 for a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/collision-involving-a-semi-vehicle-injures-two-people-in-austin/ar-BBYp6Wz
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2017
