(864) 582-0416 Truck drivers typically need a commercial license to operate 18-wheelers, meeting certain criteria and undergoing training to control a large truck. Even the best trucker, however, might become tired behind the wheel and cause a collision with another vehicle.
The results of fatigued truck drivers in Spartanburg accidents can be severe injuries, and you might find yourself in the hospital and needing to readjust your life for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, a seasoned truck crash attorney can help you recover by bringing a legal claim against the driver or their trucking company. Call Holland & Usry today for a free* case review.
A person needs to be awake and alert behind the wheel of a vehicle in order to operate it safely. Driving demands a level of focus necessary for moving a large machine moving at high speeds while also being aware of surroundings on and near the road.
These demands are even more important for the driver of an 18-wheeler, as a truck is much larger and heavier than a normal passenger car. Maneuvering a truck requires more skill as the additional weight creates more force and the increased space taken up by a truck complicates moving around obstacles and other cars.
A truck driver might become fatigued and thus less able to react to the world around them after driving for long stretches of time and distance—a common event in the world of long-haul trucking. Even though there are rules and limits for how long truckers can drive at one time without a break, fatigue can still set in and lead to a crash. A trucking company might also have foregone the proper precautions to make sure their drivers were in good condition to operate.
Beyond losing the ability to react properly, a fatigued truck driver could also fall asleep while driving through Spartanburg, which could lead to hitting another vehicle at high speed without the ability to slow down and lessen the impact of that accident. As a result, you might suffer grave injuries because a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and will need to figure out what to do next.
Car crash injuries can range from superficial to mortal, and all injuries should be addressed with medical care as soon as possible after an accident. In comparison, the impact of a truck hitting a smaller vehicle can end with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, damaged organs, and even broken bones. Muscle tears and cuts and bruises can also come from that impact and the transfer of force of an 18-wheeler to a person in their car.
Intense care at the time and long-term care can follow in order to recover from these kinds of injuries, and the expense of that care over time can make the foundation for a legal claim. Such a claim will require evidence showing that the truck driver was fatigued and, as a result, caused the accident.
Your injuries will not only be physical, though, as severe injuries can inflict other costs and trauma—from lost income due to being unable to work to property damage and the pain and suffering you can feel as a result. Any damages that you claim will require evidence to show that your injuries and losses occurred as a direct result of the semi-truck collision.
Once you prove your damages, you will be compensated by the truck driver or their company, depending on who is responsible for a driver’s fatigue that caused your specific Spartanburg accident.
Hiring an attorney can help you hold someone responsible for your injuries after a tractor-trailer collision, as your life can be completely changed in an instant. A lawyer with an understanding of fatigued truck drivers in Spartanburg accidents can conduct a free* case review to determine if you have a claim.
Contact Holland & Usry for more information and support in pursuing compensation after a crash.
