An Alabama jury recently handed down a $3 million verdict benefiting a driver who reportedly sustained serious injuries in a semi truck accident.

Plaintiff Kevin W. was reportedly injured in 2017 while driving his Ford F-250. The pickup truck reportedly experienced engine or mechanical trouble, prompting Kevin to drive the truck below the speed limit in the center lane while flashing hazard lights.

Despite Kevin’s precautions, a tanker rig operated by trucking company Langer Transport allegedly crashed into his truck at over 60 miles per hour. Kevin was reportedly ejected from his truck on impact while the pickup was crushed and eventually caught on fire. As a result of the crash, Kevin reportedly sustained significant injuries including a traumatic brain injury.

A traumatic brain injury is typically caused by sudden damage to the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild incidents including concussions to serious events such as brain bleeding. The severity of a traumatic brain injury depends on a person’s symptoms, consciousness, and other neurological side effects.

Accidents, especially those with trucks, are generally traumatic experiences for all parties involved; accident injuries depend on the severity of the crash.

Truck Accident Lawsuit

Kevin’s semi truck accident lawsuit against Langer Transport claimed that the collision was caused because the semi-truck driver was distracted. At the time of the accident, three felony indictments were reportedly pending against the driver.

The truck accident lawsuit also claimed that the driver violated Langer’s own policies which require their drivers to drive 5 miles per hour below the posted speed limit. If the driver had followed these policies, they would have allegedly had the time and distance to prevent a truck.

An Alabama jury recently sided with Kevin when they handed down a $3 million verdict against Langer Transport.

“All the tanker driver had to do was slow down or change lanes when he saw the pickup truck with its flashers on – and, if he had done that, this horrific crash would never have happened. Thankfully, the jury stood up for [Kevin] and held Langer Transport accountable for its safety failures,” Kevin’s lawyer said.

Semi Truck Accident Statistics

Semi truck accidents can be extremely dangerous because the large trucks involved often weight between 20 and 30 times more than passenger cars. Between the trucks’ weight and height, smaller vehicles reportedly take the brunt of the damage in these collisions.

The diminished braking capability of large trucks reportedly plays a role in semi truck accidents as well. Loaded semi trucks reportedly take 20 to 40 percent more time than other vehicles to come to a complete stop. If brakes are poorly maintained or if the road is wet, this time may reportedly increase.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), 4,102 people died in semi truck accident collisions in 2017. Seventeen percent of these deaths reportedly affected truck occupants, 14 percent affected bystanders, and a massive 68 percent impacted passenger vehicle occupants. These occupants can often sue the semi truck companies to the tune of large settlements.

Unfortunately, driver fatigue and other issues may also contribute to these deaths. Drivers who spend more time on the road than is federally allowed may be tired and not as alert which could contribute to collisions.