Truck accidents involving intoxication are much more prevalent than people realize. Even though there is mandatory drug testing after serious trucking accidents, intoxicated driving is still a big problem in the industry. Methamphetamine use is common among truck drivers because it keeps people awake, and many of these drivers are encouraged to drive very long hours, some well in excess of what is allowed. When tractor-trailers are involved in accidents, the effects are often catastrophic for the rest of the driving public.
If you were hurt in an accident caused by an intoxicated truck driver, you should seek the services of a McKinney lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, and an experienced attorney could help you pursue it. Call today for a consultation.
The most frequently-seen substances involved in truck accidents include cocaine, methamphetamines, and other stimulants. Depressants like alcohol and marijuana are also common. Interestingly, there is also an increase in the use of hydrocodone and opioids. Many truck drivers are addicted to opioids and do not believe it is a big deal to drive when they do not feel “high.” The reality is it still slows their reaction time.
These substances all have one thing in common: They all impair the user’s ability to think quickly and rationally. A big rig driver has split seconds to make life and death decisions. The reality is when a driver is impaired, he is more likely to be in these wrecks than a driver who is not impaired.
A DUI should be a death knell to future employment for a truck driver. Unfortunately, while impaired driving should prevent the driver from getting future employment, sometimes the employers do not do the background check that the law requires them to do. As a result, there are situations in which these drivers are hired in which they would not be eligible to be hired if the employer had done the proper background checks.
With those sorts of wrecks, it pays to do the research to determine, “Should this person have been fired?” or, “Should they have been eligible for hire?” That can lead to a direct action against the trucking company, not for the employee’s negligence but for their own negligence in hiring the person to begin with. Those are going to be very good cases.
Due to their immense size and weight, tractor trailers and other commercial trucks are some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. When drivers act irresponsibly and drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the resulting accidents can be devastating.
If you were hurt in a McKinney truck accident involving an intoxicated driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Reach out to a compassionate truck accident attorney to discuss your case. A lawyer could fight for justice on your behalf while you focus on healing.
McCraw Law Group