Posted in Truck Wreck on November 24, 2014
Earlier this year in October, an accident between a semi-truck and a school bus full of college softball players claimed the lives of four young women. According to a report by one local news source, the accident occurred on Interstate 35 near Davis, Oklahoma.
Evidently, the truck was heading north on I-35 when the road curved slightly to the right. Instead of moving with the road, the truck driver veered off the road and into oncoming traffic. The truck side-swiped the school bus, shearing half of the bus off the frame. After the collision, the truck continued 300 feet down the road into a wooded area.
It took emergency responders about 45 minutes to locate the truck, which was covered in trees, brush, and debris. Once they recovered the truck and approached the driver, who was still inside, emergency responders noticed that there was a pipe in the passenger compartment with some marijuana as well as some prescription medication. One responder told reporters that the driver looked like a “zombie.”
The driver’s story is that he was distracted by something immediately prior to the accident. However, investigators have not fully subscribed to his story yet, believing that the real cause of the accident may have been the driver’s intoxication.
Recovering after Any Tennessee Accident
Regardless of whether the accident was caused by the driver’s intoxication level or that fact that he was distracted immediately prior to the accident, the end result for the accident victims is the same because both are under the umbrella of negligence.
Proving a personal injury case at trial often involves showing that the other party was negligent and that such negligence was the cause of the accident. In order to prove this, an accident victim must prove several things.
First, the accident victim must show that there was a duty owed to him or her by the defendant and that this duty was breached. In the case of motor vehicle accidents, establishing a duty is fairly straightforward, since all drivers owe a duty of care to those with whom they share the road. Establishing a breach of that duty, on the other hand, can be more difficult and is often where the bulk of litigation takes place in personal injury cases.
Once a breach is established, the accident victim must them show that the defendant’s breach was the actual cause of his or her injuries. Once these elements are proven, an accident victim is entitled to a recovery from the defendant.
Have You Been Injured in a Tennessee Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of Tennessee accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages based on the other driver’s negligent operation of his or her vehicle. To learn more about personal injury cases in Tennessee, and how you may be entitled to monetary damages for the pain or loss you have endured, contact Matt Hardin Law at 615-200-1111 to set up a free consultation.
See Related Blog Posts:
Bartlett Police Officer May Be Responsible for Fatal Tennessee Accident, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published October 22, 2014.
5 Common Causes of Auto Accidents, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published November 14, 2014.
