Intoxicated Trucker Jumped Median and Hits Minivan
Mar 15, 2011
Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) March 15, 2011 – Big rig drivers have a duty to drive safely on public roads and all drivers have a duty not to drive when intoxicated. In this case, the driver was under the influence of alcohol and badly injured an innocent victim as a result.
“But for the fact that this grossly negligent truck driver was intoxicated behind the wheel, this collision could have been avoided and the victim would not have been seriously injured in this senseless accident,” said Robert W. Lee, an Austin personal injury lawyer of The Lee Law Firm in Austin, Texas. “This big rig slammed into a center divider, shattered truck parts all over the road in the process of disintegrating and flinging, and managed to nail a minivan, seriously injuring the driver.”
The trucker was headed east on a busy highway when he lost control, careening into the center divider and smashing into a minivan. The van driver and the rig driver were rushed to hospital as fast as possible. The trucker was not as seriously injured as the van driver, a fact that may not surprise too many, given the fact the semi was a lot bigger than the minivan and would not have taken the pounding the van did.
During this fiasco, chunks of the center divider were tossed across the highway. It is a wonder no one else was hurt or killed. As it was, several other cars sustained damages from being hit by flying concrete chunks. The police arrested the truck driver on suspicion of drunk driving and criminal charges are pending.
“While my office was not involved with this particular case, we have seen way too many similar collisions caused by drunk drivers. Big rig accidents rarely, if ever, have a good outcome, even if the victim makes it out alive. There are far too many things that can happen during a wreck this bad. For instance, the victim may suffer from air bag injuries to the face, upper torso, arms and head. Whiplash is a common injury, along with spinal cord injuries, crush injuries, broken bones and traumatic brain injury,” Lee said.
It is a no brainer to assume that when a big rig slams into something that is smaller, the outcome will be grim. Those victims that do survive typically tend to have catastrophic, life-altering injuries that mean they may need care for the rest of their lives.
“This is one of the reasons a truck crash victim needs to have experienced legal counsel on their side when they deal with the insurance company, the trucking company, and when they go to court. Damages for cases like this are often in the hundreds of thousands of dollars up to millions of dollars because the victim often needs the financial support for their long-term medical care. Damage awards in cases like this are not about revenge, they are about getting fair compensation for the victim to be able to live as best as they can. If you have been in an accident like this, please, call my office and we can discuss your case. Should you choose to hire my firm, we will ensure that justice is served,” Lee said.
To learn more, visit Austin personal injury attorney and http://www.rwleelaw.com.
The Lee Law Firm
11824 Jollyville Road, Suite 302
Austin, Texas 78759
Phone: 512.478.8080
