You love driving, but something you can never seem to get away from is the seemingly endless parade of large trucks. You live near a highway, so it makes sense that the drivers come through the area, but it’s hard to guarantee that you won’t be hit.
You’ve had several near-misses before, but this time was different. You were driving when the truck driver to your right tried to pull out and make a left-hand turn in front of you. They either underestimated the time they had to make the turn or didn’t see that you were there because you had no time to stop. You ended up hitting their trailer, while they barely noticed the crash.
Fortunately, the driver did stop, and you were able to get to the hospital. You have fractured ribs, a punctured lung and a serious concussion. You may not be able to work for several months, and your recovery could take that long or longer.
Sadly, your experience isn’t unique. In 2017, for example, there were 4,889 large trucks and buses that were involved in crashes leading to fatalities across the country. That same year, there were 116,000 injury-causing collisions.
Large truck drivers need to be cautious because their actions could result in serious injuries or fatalities. While they’re safe in their cabs under most circumstances, people in smaller vehicles are much more likely to be hurt or killed in a crash.
A crash like this shouldn’t go without repercussions. If you’re hurt, you deserve an opportunity to seek a claim against the driver, their employer or others involved in the crash.