A man from Moorhead, Minnesota, was injured when his car ran into the back of a Kenworth semi-tractor. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a 1989 Kenworth tractor-trailer and a 2007 Lincoln Town Car were westbound on Highway 10, both in the right lane, when the car hit the back of the truck and then caught fire. The driver of the car was injured. The accident happened at milepost 31 in Lake Park at about 4:30 p.m. on November 1.
In related news, two people tragically died in collisions with big rigs:
- A crash between a car and big rig on Route 7 in Vermont resulted in the death of one of the drivers. The accident happened just after 1:30 a.m. in Charlotte. Officials did not say if alcohol was a factor.
- A young man was killed when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer in Anaheim. The accident happened around 5 a.m. near North Olive Street and La Palma Avenue. The 20-year-old driver of the motorcycle died at the scene.
In many of these types of accidents, it is not initially clear who is at fault. Even when a car hits a tractor-trailer from behind, the driver of the car may not be at fault. In one case recently settled by attorney Eric Hageman, a trucker had stopped in the road to text his girlfriend. Another commercial truck driver died when he slammed into the back of the illegally parked truck. Eric represented the family and obtained a seven-figure settlement.
In every case, our truck accident lawyers obtain any evidence of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When this evidence if found, we determine if a bar, restaurant or other business can be sued for personal injury or wrongful death caused by the drunk driver.
Crashes caused by drunk commercial drivers happen. In the news this week, a drunk trucker driving an 18-wheeler crashed and is facing DUI charges:
A drunk truck driver is facing DUI and negligent operation charges after he crashed his 18-wheeler. His blood alcohol level was 0.209, five times the limit for interstate truck drivers (less than .04 is the limit). At the time of the accident he was standing up in the cab trying to change his pants, according to the police report. The truck was going over 60 miles per hour at the time. The accident happened on I-89 near Williston, VT.
Thankfully, this trucker did not severely injure or kill anyone.
Sources
Minnesota State Patrol. https://app.dps.mn.gov/mspmedia/
WCAX. http://www.wcax.com/story/33610050/police-drunk-driver-trying-to-change-pants-crashes-tractor-trailer
NBC5. http://www.mynbc5.com/article/one-person-dead-in-route-7-crash-in-vermont/8111094
Orange County Register. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/anaheim-734139-crash-tractor.html