People who spend several hours a day on the road for their jobs are exposed to a number of dangers, including the possibility of a severe accident. When a collision does happen, it is important to retain legal representation to ensure that expenses related to the accident and missed time from work will be covered.
The driver of a dump truck needed to be hospitalized after his vehicle turned over on a North Charleston highway.
Commercial truck falls over on Don Holt Bridge
The incident happened near the Don Holt Bridge and the Clements Ferry Road exit. Police found a large dump truck that had overturned onto its side when they arrived in the area at about 10 am. Footage of the scene showed the truck on its side while police and rescue workers directed traffic around the wreckage.
All lanes on Interstate 526 East had to be temporarily closed, then reopened hours later when emergency crews were finished working in the area. The driver’s injuries were not life threatening, but he needed to be transported to MUSC for treatment and evaluation. A Charleston Police spokesman said an exact cause of the accident was unknown and the incident is still being investigated. The local news issued warnings throughout the day to tell drivers to avoid the area.
The Don Holt Bridge area has been a consistent source of concern for local government and police due to the large number of accidents on this particular roadway. The area where Interstate 526 and the bridge meet has sudden lane merges that are dangerous for drivers.
Drivers who are hurt at work and related claims
Dump trucks and other large vehicles are usually used for commercial purposes rather than standard transportation. Commercial drivers are especially susceptible to injuries and accidents because of the amount of hours they log and long distances that they drive. Accidents that involve large commercial vehicles are also more likely to cause serious injuries or death than a standard car accident. This is essentially a high risk type of driving.
Injuries that happen to drivers while they are working can implicate other areas of the law as well. Anyone who is injured while at their job can possibly be eligible for workers compensation. This type of compensation is specifically meant to help an employee maintain their income if they suffer a bona fide work related injury. Lawyers who handle these types of cases will ensure that claims are paid out appropriately and that the employer is staying within the bounds of local labor laws and regulations.
Negligence claims and automobile accidents
Personal injury lawyers deal extensively with a type of tort law case called a negligence action. These civil lawsuits basically tell the courts that the plaintiff was injured because of some kind of serious mistake made by the defendant, and that the party responsible should have to pay for all losses associated with the incident.
There are four elements of a negligence claim. These are a relevant duty of care, a breach of that duty, causation, and various forms of damages. For drivers, there is always a duty of care to obey traffic laws such as the speed limit or stop signs. When drivers violate any of these laws, they may receive a citation at the accident scene which can be used by a lawyer as evidence of negligence. A breach of this duty can be established by these traffic law citations or other mistakes on the road. Causation is demonstrated by the fact that one driver collided with another and was the actual source of their injuries.
Damages are the most complex and important element of negligence cases tied to automobile accidents. This is the term used for the sum of all of a victim’s losses. An attorney can use evidence like medical records, accident reports, repair costs, and lost wages to show all of the things that the plaintiff has had to endure because of the accident. These are often referred to as economic damages because they are easy to quantify through the sum of these losses.
Non-economic damages are also very important because they can be associated with a large dollar amount in some serious accidents. These damages essentially say that a person should be compensated for things like emotional pain, trauma, suffering, and mental anguish tied to the accident. A skilled personal injury lawyer knows how to use their talents for negotiation and reasoned arguments to convince a jury to award a large amount to their client based on these intangible losses.
Learn about how an attorney can assist after an accident
For more information about filing a lawsuit related to an accident and receiving compensation, contact The Clekis Law Firm. The lawyers at this firm provide professional guidance for clients in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
