A recent accident in Connecticut highlights the often serious nature of accidents that involve tractor trailers. The accident occurred during the early morning hours over a weekend on Interstate 95. The tractor trailer accident involved a semi truck and a car, which had a number of occupants.
As a result of the accident, rescue personnel from the local fire department were required to use a hydraulic rescue tool to access the victims in the car. In total, three victims were taken to local medical facilities for treatment of injuries, which were described to be of varying degrees, including life-threatening. One investigator noted that the rescue operation was particularly difficult due to the severity of damage sustained by the vehicles. At the time of the report, the investigation was still ongoing.
Trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles are common on Connecticut roadways. As illustrated by this recent accident, these large vehicles can cause catastrophic injuries and add complex liability issues that are not generally present in a run-of-the-mill fender bender.
Commercial vehicles like tractor trailers, for instance, are subject to federal trucking regulations. When they are involved in an accident, these rules may be implicated. The applicable regulations hold trucks, the drivers and trucking companies to specific requirements. Defective truck maintenance, for example, is one problem area where commercial vehicles often come up short.
While an investigation will often shed light on the cause of an accident, the victim's main focus will be on recovery. Medical bills and lost wages can pile up while victims of a negligent driver work to recover. In cases where the accident is caused by a negligent driver, a personal injury lawsuit can help to recover compensation to deal with the financial effects of such severe accidents.
Source: CBS New York, "3 Trapped, Injured In Crash Involving Car, Semi In Fairfield, Conn.," Dec. 1, 2012
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