Two people were killed in a truck accident in Rochester the morning of Jan. 18. According to a news report in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the fatal truck accident occurred when a tractor-trailer going east on state Route 104 left the roadway and traveled down an embankment into Hudson Avenue hitting a light pole and two other vehicles. The 58-year-old truck driver and a 30-year-old county employee were killed in the crash.
Possible Medical Emergency
Officials believe the truck driver may have had a medical emergency causing the vehicle to leave the expressway. Two individuals and the county employee who was killed were working in the area. While two managed to get away, the third employee was killed instantly when the big rig hit him . The truck driver was trapped in the tractor-trailer and had to be extricated. He was also pronounced dead at the scene. The State Police Vehicle Enforcement Unit is expected to inspect the truck involved in the collision.
The tractor-trailer also struck another vehicle and a box truck on Hudson Avenue. The driver of that vehicle was transported to a hospital with injuries. The driver of the box truck was not injured although the truck sustained damage. The crash is still under investigation.
Truck Drivers and Medical Issues
When truck drivers have serious medical conditions such as heart disease, sleep apnea and epilepsy, they pose a serious risk to everyone on the roadway. It is dangerous for anyone with a serious medical condition to drive. However, when such a driver is operating a large vehicle like a big-rig, it poses a definite and immediate hazard. When trucking companies know that a driver is a public safety risk and yet allow that individual to operate a truck, then that may amount to negligence (carelessness) should the driver’s medical condition play a role in a truck accident.
Trucking companies are required under federal laws to conduct a physical before they hire a driver. The purpose of this physical exam is to ensure that the driver does not have any disqualifying medical conditions. Some of these conditions may include very poor vision or hearing or diabetes that is severe enough to require insulin shots.
If you suspect that your truck accident was caused by a driver with a medical condition, it is important that the trucking company’s hiring documents be examined. Because there is a shortage of truck drivers, trucking companies are often willing to look the other way when they hire. This means that they tend to overlook serious medical conditions in an applicant, putting the public in serious danger.
Trucking companies have a responsibility to perform thorough background checks, conduct a health examination and ask important questions when they hire. Failing to do so can be viewed as negligent (careless) hiring. In cases where truck drivers suffer medical episodes and cause an accident, the liability may fall on the trucking company particularly if an investigation reveals that they did not do their due diligence while hiring. An experienced New York truck accident lawyer will examine these critical issues and unearth crucial evidence to bolster your case and increase your chances of receiving maximum compensation for your losses.
Compensation for Victims
Injured victims of truck accidents can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of livelihood, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased victims can also seek compensation by filing what is known as a wrongful death lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/01/18/crash-hudson-avenue-route-104-rochester-ny/2613087002/