Man Pulling Loose Tooth Caused Distracted Driving Truck Accident Near Tuscaloosa
Car and truck accidents are very serious, especially on interstates where traffic speeds can reach over 70 miles per hour. Any form of distracted driving on the highway can be extremely dangerous. A recent study conducted on distracted driving found that people who text and drive or talk on their phone and drive are just as dangerous behind the wheel as someone who has had too much to drink.
But what about other forms of distracted driving? For example, trying to pull your own tooth.
A distracted driving truck accident along I-20 near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was caused by a distracted truck driver who, he claimed at the scene, removed his hands from the wheel because he was trying to pull a loose tooth.
The distracted driving accident occurred around 10:30 PM on Sunday night, near highway marker 79. The driver told officers from the Alabama Highway Patrol that he was attempting to pull his own tooth when he lost control of his tractor trailer and hit a tree. The 57-year-old self-employed truck driver was uninjured, but the wreck was so serious that that section of the highway was shut down for 11 hours, until Monday morning.
“The driver stated he lost control when he was pulling a tooth with his hands,” the report reads. “He had the tooth in his shirt pocket as proof.”
Truck Accidents and Personal Injury Claims
Automobile accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury claims. As mobile technology becomes more integrated with vehicles, and easier to wear, distracted driving is causing more and more serious and fatal accidents. Professional truck drivers are, unfortunately, not immune to distracted driving.
Although trucking accidents account for a small percentage of traffic accidents, they account for a large percentage of traffic fatalities. Semi-truck and other large commercial truck accidents are oftentimes the result of carelessness on the part of the truck driver. A classic cause of trucking accidents is driver fatigue, occurring when a driver overextends their time and service requirements to increase income. In such cases, the conduct of the driver and the company he may work for becomes paramount.
If a victim’s medical bills are very high, they miss work or are unable to work due to injury, or the victim’s family suffers a significant financial loss, the victim or the victim’s family have a right to file a personal injury claim against the perpetrator. However, the perpetrator’s car insurance company will be heavily involved in litigation, as they are liable for damages. If the driver is a professional, such as a tractor trailer driver, then business insurance may be involved.
Trucking is a regulated industry, and Federal and State regulations and guidelines must be considered. If the owner, leasing entity, contracted user or driver of the truck fail to comply with such mandates, including those of the Department of Transportation (DOT) for example, then liability on their part may well arise.
Distracted Driving Truck Accidents, and Other Automobile Accidents in South Carolina
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, the South Carolina distracted driving accident attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. will fight for fair compensation for your injuries. Our South Carolina car accident lawyers are prepared to fight for compensation in the courtroom and will defend your right to compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages and future earnings, your pain and suffering, and, in the event of a fatal car accident, even wrongful death. Our attorneys offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your personal injury case for distracted driving, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
