Commercial trucks are significantly larger, heavier, and more difficult to control and operate than most other vehicles on the road. They are designed for their ability to transport large quantities of materials at a time, not to make sharp, quick movements. This is perhaps why there exists such an increased risk for commercial truck drivers to lose control of their trucks and roll them over. While such events can be damaging enough in a regular passenger vehicle, the damage and risks are greatly increased when the vehicle is much, much larger and heavier.
These risks were unfortunately realized not too long ago when a man’s F-150 truck broke down along a local road. The truck had lost power so the driver pulled over to the far right side of the road, called AAA, and sat with his passenger in the truck with his hazards blinking. Suddenly, a tandem tractor-trailer traveling 55 mph came up the road behind the man’s truck. While other vehicles were able to successfully drive around the truck, the tractor-trailer struck it from behind, causing serious and extensive property damage and personal injuries.
The truck driver was rushed to a nearby hospital and reportedly suffered multiple rib fractures, a concussion, a burst fracture of his first lumbar vertebrae, and a left hemothorax. The man’s passenger also suffered extensive injuries, including nine fractured bones, a partially collapsed lung, and a traumatic brain injury. To recover for his injuries, the man’s attorney, Richard J. O’Brien, brought a personal injury lawsuit against the truck driver. The truck driver’s insurance agreed to pay $4.45 million to compensate the man for his pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost work.
If you or a family member have been injured in a truck accident, please call our Boston truck accident attorneys 24/7 at 617-787-3700. You may be able to recover money damages for your medical bills and pain and suffering, as well as any other personal injury damages. Call our Boston law office now to learn more about applicable Massachusetts law and all of your legal options in a free and private consultation.
