Earlier this month near Richmond, Virginia, two men on motorcycles were killed when they were both struck by a semi-truck driver. According to one local Virginia news source, the semi-truck driver is facing charges based on the belief that he fell asleep while behind the wheel in the moments before the fatal accident.
According to one witness, the semi-truck drifted out of the southbound-middle lane and onto the side of the highway, where there were about six motorcyclists who had pulled off the road. Evidently, the motorcyclists were on their way to a motorcycle rally in Atlanta, Georgia.
Witnesses told reporters that once the semi-truck left the roadway, it collided with all six motorcycles. One man was standing next to his bike and was struck by the semi-truck. That man was pronounced dead by emergency workers at the scene of the accident. There were five others who were injured as well, most of them sitting on their bikes as the truck came crashing through. Thankfully, they are all expected to recover from their injuries.
The driver of the semi-truck came to a stop about a half-mile down the highway, and he may have only stopped because he had a flat tire. It is not apparent if he even knew that he had hit the group of motorcycles when he came to a stop.
Drowsy Driving and Maryland Truck Accidents
It should not come as a surprise that falling asleep behind the wheel of a massive semi-truck is a violation of a driver’s duty of care that he owes to the other motorists on the road. When a truck driver does fall asleep behind the wheel and causes a serious or fatal accident, such as was the case above, those injured in the accident may look to the truck driver for financial responsibility. In cases when an accident victim dies as a result, the deceased’s family may bring the suit in his or her name.
In order to hold a truck driver responsible for their negligent actions in causing an accident, the accident victim must prove several things. First, the truck driver must have owed a legal duty of care to the accident victim. This is usually easily met, since all drivers owe everyone else out on the road a legal duty to operate their vehicle in a safe and responsible manner.
Next, the accident victim must show that the driver’s actions violated the duty of care and that the violation was the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. This is often where the bulk of litigation occurs in personal injury cases. Finally, once all other elements are met, the accident victim must submit proof of some kind of compensable injury. This can be hospital bills, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, or all of the above.
Have You Been Injured in a Maryland Truck Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of serious Maryland truck accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages. However, it is not necessarily as easy as it seems. There is often significant litigation over certain aspects of a claim. This can even be the case when the truck driver was cited by police for some kind of negligent or reckless conduct. To learn more, call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation with a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney.
More Blog Posts:
Tracy Morgan Settles with Wal-Mart Regarding Last Year’s Truck Accident, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published June 4, 2015.
Construction Worker Killed in I-95 Beltsville Truck Accident, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 7, 2015.