It is estimated that between three and five percent of traffic accidents are caused by medical emergencies. These can be sudden and unexpected, such as when a healthy adult has a heart attack and loses control of the vehicle. These crashes also can be caused by a medical condition that was known to the driver, who took the chance with his life and the lives of other people on the road that he would not suffer from an event that resulted in a serious accident.
In February 2014, a truck driver suffering from a medical condition caused a fatal accident in Mississippi. A Louisiana truck driver experienced a medical event that resulted in him veering across Interstate 10 near D’Iberville and impacting another vehicle driven by a musician, according to a Fox 10 news story. The collision killed the musician. The truck driver apparently died as a result of the medical emergency rather than from the crash impact. This accident could have been far worse because the truck driver was hauling hazardous materials, but these did not spill onto the roadway. Although the nature of the medical condition was not disclosed, it is possible that this fatal accident could have been prevented if the truck driver had taken the appropriate actions in light of a known medical condition.
Many times, accidents involving large trucks are caused by driver negligence, faulty equipment, overloaded trailers, or dangerous road conditions. Sudden medical emergencies are relatively rare. However, when they happen in a tractor-trailer, they usually cause dangerous accidents. If the driver was aware of the medical condition, he and the trucking company for which he worked could be liable for the harm that the accident caused.
In order for a truck driver to operate a tractor-trailer, he must get the appropriate training, obtain a commercial vehicle license, and then get any additional certifications necessary to drive specific types of vehicles. The trucking company is required to conduct a thorough assessment of the driver’s skills and temperament and conduct a background check. This review should reveal any known medical conditions that could compromise the driver’s ability to safely operate a large truck. The driver has an obligation to reveal any known medical conditions that might impact operation of a commercial truck, but many times this is not done.
The shortage of qualified truck drivers who are working today means that there is great value in keeping a truck driver on the road and hauling goods for a trucking company. This could lead to a trucking company realizing that there is a potential problem and having the driver visit a company-selected doctor who is more likely to give the driver a clean bill of health. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require a specific level of truck driver fitness. When drivers and the trucking companies attempt to circumvent these regulations, serious crashes may result. It is estimated that more than half a million truck drivers on the road have a dangerous medical condition, whether known or unknown. If a driver negligently ignores the risk that a known condition poses, he should be held accountable for the harm that he caused.
Although there are accidents that are caused by a sudden medical emergency that could not have been prevented, there are many other devastating crashes that never would have occurred but for the negligence of the truck driver and, possibly, the trucking company. In situations like these, it is critical to have skilled and dedicated truck accident attorneys like Barrett Law PLLC. We will investigate thoroughly the facts of the crash and determine whether there was evidence of knowledge about the medical condition or whether the driver should have known about the problem. To discuss the circumstances of what happened to you or a loved one, call us at (800) 707-9577 to schedule an initial consultation. We do not receive a fee unless we recover compensation for you.