A car accident can be life-changing in any event, but it might be more severe when the wreck in question involves a semi-truck. This is because the size of these trucks, in conjunction with the speeds at which they typically travel, can cause enormous devastation to passenger vehicles and those inside. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, then you know this all too well.
As you struggle to find a way to cope with your physical, emotional, and financial losses, you might think about taking legal action. Oftentimes this is the best way to find accountability and recover compensation. But in order to succeed on a legal claim you need to prove a trucker’s negligence. One way to do this is to show that a trucker has an untreated medical condition that affects his ability to drive his truck.
One condition that affects many truck drivers and poses a significant threat to others is sleep apnea. This condition interrupts an individual’s breathing while asleep, thereby causing him or her to repeatedly wake up. These sleep disruptions can occur hundreds of times a night, leading to sleepy and fatigued truckers taking to the road. These drivers can be at a greater risk of swerving into oncoming traffic, failing to recognize stopped traffic, and misgauging the speed of oncoming traffic when making a left turn.
Although federal regulations try to prevent truckers from driving with untreated medical conditions when they affect the ability to drive safely, truckers are essentially operating on the honor system. As a result, numerous innocent motorists are put in harm’s way. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, then you need to make sure that you engage in thorough discovery that uncovers this type of evidence. Then you need to know how to use it to your advantage by crafting compelling legal arguments. An attorney who is experienced in these matters may be able to assist with this process.
