(864) 582-0416 A drunk driver can easily endanger you and other people on or near a roadway, but a drunk truck driver operating a much larger vehicle can cause catastrophic damage. Drunk driving truck accidents in Spartanburg can produce serious, possibly life-threatening injuries, not to mention inflicting financial costs as you recover.
That recovery can be accompanied by a legal claim for compensation against the truck driver, their trucking company, or both, depending on the circumstances. A tractor-trailer collision attorney at Holland & Usry can work with you to determine if you have a claim and how to bring it successfully. Call now for a free* case review.
It goes without saying that drunk driving is dangerous to fellow drivers on the road. Being drunk behind the wheel lowers a driver’s reaction time and their ability to control their car, greatly increasing the risk of a crash, and a drunk driver can even pass out and swerve into other cars and obstacles.
A drunk truck driver can similarly raise the risk of a deadly collision but with a higher level of danger. With 18-wheelers hauling cargo and often driving at highway speeds, a drunk trucker can cause severe injuries and damage to those unfortunate enough to be in the way.
Truck drivers already face long hours on the road and sometimes rest for only a few hours at a time, though they meet certain requirements to carry commercial licenses and can be used to handling large vehicles. Drinking before or during a long stint behind the wheel can exacerbate fatigue and can make even the most experienced truck driver susceptible to losing control of the truck.
Showing that a truck driver was drunk and caused a wreck may require extra effort, such as obtaining the police or prosecutor’s file and analyzing its contents. You may also need other evidence, such as traffic camera footage and eyewitnesses, to establish that a Spartanburg truck driver was impaired when the crash occurred.
Injuries in any car crash can endanger your health and your life, such as a blow to the head, neck and spinal injuries, and broken bones. When a truck is involved, however, those injuries can increase in severity with the weight and speed of the truck and your own vehicle.
A blow to the head that causes a concussion in a normal accident can suddenly cause serious, permanent brain damage and negative cognitive effects in a truck accident. In the same way, the force of a car crash might throw a spinal disk out of alignment, but a truck accident affecting the same area could damage or sever the spinal cord and leave you paralyzed.
Not every injury is physical, however, as you will need to contend with a likely totaled car if hit by an 18-wheeler. Other costs that can accumulate alongside medical bills and the cost of replacing a vehicle include the loss of wages from being unable or less able to work and the real, but hard to calculate, costs of your pain and suffering over time.
Bringing a claim against a drunk truck driver can get you compensation for these kinds of damages, if you can prove that the drunk driver caused the accident. Establishing the cause of the drunk driving truck accident and the extent of your injuries is where your Spartanburg attorney can provide crucial assistance.
Recovering from injuries sustained in a crash with an 18-wheeler will take time, money, and energy, but you can look to an attorney to guide you through a legal claim for compensation.
At Holland & Usry, we stand ready to investigate drunk driving truck accidents in Spartanburg and to provide the support you need as you pursue your case. Contact us today for a free* case review and to discuss your next steps.
