Sacramento Bridge Accident Causes Injuries
A December 28 Sacramento bridge accident occurred between a bobtail semi and three other vehicles that resulted in one person being transported to a hospital. The accident occurred on westbound Interstate 80 and the Bryte Bend Bridge that crosses the Sacramento River. The severity of the accident resulted in a SigAlert being issued and multiple tow trucks to remove the vehicles involved in the Sacramento bridge accident. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), because one vehicle was leaking gas and due to the arrival of an ambulance, tow trucks and fire crews, the lanes remained closed for more than an hour.
Details of the Sacramento Bridge Accident
The collision happened at around 2:45 in the afternoon and involved a semi, which ended up in the center divide, a Ford Focus, Dodge Durango and an additional vehicle. One individual, who was in the Ford, complained of neck pain and requested an ambulance. At the time of this report, it is unknown what hospital that individual was taken to and what their condition is. The CHP reported that getting through the gridlocked traffic was so difficult for those responding to the Sacramento bridge accident that the tow trucks were given permission to use the shoulder to reach the vehicles that had to be moved.
Accidents Involving Big Rigs
Even with a bobtail, which is a semi that isn’t pulling a trailer, it generally weighs between 17,000 and 22,000 pounds. When a truck of this size and weight crashes with a motor vehicle, injuries aren’t surprising. Financial difficulties for the motorist happen as they try to cope with the time lost from work and medical expenses. Because truck drivers have a duty of care to drive safely and avoid injuring others, those who are harmed by a negligent driver may be able to obtain fair compensation for their economic damages as well as noneconomic harm such as their pain and suffering. A few of the ways in which a truck driver may be negligent and cause an accident include:
- Lack of proper training
- Fatigued driving from being on the road too long
- Pressure from the company to make faster time
- Distracted driving from checking logbooks to texting on a cell phone
- Faulty truck parts or lack of maintenance
- Speeding to stay ahead of the schedule
Seeking Help From a Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents are complex and require the help of an experienced lawyer to prove fault. Some accidents are due to the negligence of the driver, problems with the truck itself or actions by the company that owns the vehicle. In addition, trucks can cause a collision if they are improperly loaded. A lawyer experienced in handling truck accidents can perform a thorough investigation into the cause to build a case for compensation. In some cases, where the truck is owned by a company, both the driver and employer may be held responsible for accident injury damages.
Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento truck accident lawyer. A collision with a big rig can lead to serious injuries since a motor vehicle is no match for a truck that is much larger. If this happened to you or to someone you care about, I am here to offer you free and friendly advice. Call me at (916) 921-6400 locally or at (800) 404-5400 if you are phoning from another location in Northern California. You are also welcome to access an online contact form located at AutoAccident.com, the website I own and founded, and I will phone you back.
Over my 36 years as an injury lawyer, it has been my privilege to have helped many residents of Sacramento and Northern California to obtain fair compensation in all types of car accidents, wrongful deaths, and traumatic injuries.
Trial lawyers who have obtained either a settlement or verdict in excess of $1 million for a client are eligible to join Million Dollar Advocates. I am proud to say that I am a California member of this forum.
You can find out more about my law office by visiting the following links, which lead to client and peer reviews as well as a synopsis of some of our previous cases and how they concluded:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_36794425_l-2015
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