Tennessee trooper injured in fiery truck accident
Driving late at night can lead to tiredness and fatigue, as many people in Tennessee know. Unfortunately, truck drivers are particularly prone to becoming tired while driving. When a driver of big rig loses control after falling asleep or simply taking attention off the road, a truck accident can result.
A truck accident occurred on the shoulder of interstate 40 near Walker Springs Road on March 13. A state trooper was parked in his vehicle on the shoulder of the highway when he was struck by a flatbed truck. The truck was driven by an employee of FSH Trucking Co. and was hauling a load of buckets for construction equipment at the time of the track crash.
The trooper’s car was flung across the highway and struck a cement wall. The vehicle burst into flames, nearly engulfing the trooper. The truck driver, police officers and emergency response personnel were able to extricate the injured trooper from his vehicle. He suffered severe injuries including a broken back and brain injuries. He is listed in critical condition.
No other indications were made in reports as to the condition of the truck driver at the time of the accident, and no reports of impairment were claimed, although authorities indicated the truck driver appeared to have fallen asleep or became drowsy just before the collision.
As a result of this tragic early morning accident, investigators will work to determine exactly what happened. The review of the evidence will be of assistance to the trooper and his family as they consider any possible legal action as a result of this truck accident. The truck driver has additionally been charged with felony crimes, including reckless endangerment.
The trooper, like all victims of truck accidents suffering serious injury, will have the option to pursue personal injury claims as the result of his injuries. The claims may assist him with the payment of medical bills and other costs of recovery. Though individuals who end up in situations like this may have a long road ahead of them as they struggle to make full recoveries, they may be comforted to know that economic assistance may be available.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “THP trooper’s rescue from fiery I-40 crash was ‘game of seconds’,” Hayes Hickman and Don Jacobs, March 14, 2012