When you see a behemoth of a semi-truck or tractor trailer barreling down the highway carrying tons of goods, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that it is not just a massive machine. It is being operated by a human being.
That fact has the potential to be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the mental and physical makeup of the man or woman behind the wheel while you are sharing the road.
Sometimes people snap.
According to WLKY, a truck driver from Texas was recently arrested in Bullitt County after “driving erratically for miles” and running several vehicles off the road in a fit of rage.
The driver, Danny Gonzalez, “admitted to being frustrated with his job”, causing him to snap and run vehicles off of Interstate 65.
One driver who witnessed this fiasco understood the gravity of the situation, saying he felt lucky that Gonzalez was caught before he killed somebody. He pointed out that the truck was loaded down with timber, adding more injury potential to an already precarious situation.
So, Who Is Responsible? What If Someone Had Been Hurt Or Killed?
We don’t need crazy people behind the wheel. Big rigs are dangerous enough due to their size, weight, and ability to become a weapon when not operated properly.
In this particular situation, injury survivors or the families of anyone killed by such a maniac would have the option of pursuing compensation from Gonzalez’s insurer. But the trucking company itself could be liable if it could be demonstrated that they should have known Gonzalez was unstable but failed to conduct a background check.
There are other factors to consider in a potential personal injury claim, including whether Gonzalez had been abiding by state and federal regulations that govern time spent behind the wheel and mandatory rest periods. And, there is always the question of whether a dangerous driver is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
The bottom line: If you are hurt by a tractor trailer, you need an attorney on your side asking the right questions. That’s who you’ll find at Hargadon Lenihan & Herrington, PLLC.