Truck accidents can result in severe injuries and costly recoveries, but the legal system can be utilized to offer aid to injured victims.
A recent truck accident required a woman be airlifted to UMass Medical Center in Worcester after her car was hit by a tractor trailer. The semi truck accident occurred after the woman stopped at a stop sign and, while proceeding to turn, was struck by the truck. The woman has possible head and other internal injuries. She was listed in stable condition following the collision.
In some circumstances, both drivers may have contributed to the occurrence of an accident and one is not solely to blame. This does not preclude all recovery, though, for an injured party who may bear some responsibility for the accident in addition to the other party. The negligence of both parties may have contributed to the accident, however, an injured party can recover damages for injuries as long as that party was not more to blame for the accident than the other driver.
This may mean that even if the injured party was half to blame for the accident, but not more than half, the victim may still be able to recover damages for injuries suffered and costs incurred as a result of the accident. Injured victims may struggle with medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity in some instances. Victims can also, depending on the seriousness of their injuries, require continuing or long-term medical care. This can all be extremely costly to a victim injured in an 18-wheeler accident.
Negligent truck drivers can include inattentive truck drivers, speeding drivers and operators who are fatigued. Anyone injured by such a driver may wish to see if a personal injury claim is the right option. A personal injury legal professional can help a victim determine this. It may make sense to aid with recovery and compensate the victim for the damages incurred as a result of the accident.
Source: The Ledger-Transcript, “Woman, 88, airlifted after Route 101 crash with tractor-trailer,” Dave Anderson, Aug. 26, 2013
