Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
An Oregon truck accident on Interstate 84 closed the road for several hours last week and sent two people to the hospital, though its most notable feature may have been that it was not even worse than accident reports indicate.
According to the Associated Press the Oregon semi-truck accident began when a driver fell asleep at the wheel around 1 am while traveling west on I-84. The news agency reports that the truck then “rear-ended a tow truck with a car in tow” on the dark road.
The truck driver and the owner of the car (who was riding in the tow truck) required hospitalization following the accident. The driver of the tow truck was not injured. According to the AP, the driver of the semi received a citation for “careless driving.”
Accidents like these remind us of the overwhelming importance of highway safety, especially where large vehicles such as commercial trucks are concerned. A driver nodding off in a huge, speeding vehicle on an interstate highway has the potential to do far more damage than happened in this case, and we can only be thankful that the toll in human suffering was not far greater.
Regardless of whether a driver is reckless or merely overworked and pushed past the point of exhaustion by unreasonable driving schedules, holding semi-truck drivers and their employers to account is one of the most important services an Oregon truck accident lawyer can offer to accident victims and their families. Oregon truck crashes can lead to permanent injuries and even result in wrongful death. Consulting with an attorney as soon as possible after a collision is an important first step in achieving a just settlement.
The Columbian: OSP says sleeping truck driver caused I-84 crash
Associated Press via KGW.com: Semi-truck driver falls asleep on I-84, crashes
