Usually, when one thinks of people being injured in trucking accidents, one rarely thinks of the victims being the truck drivers. However, drivers of commercial vehicles do not always escape from accidents unscathed. An accident that occurred in Connecticut in early Dec. 2012 is a very good example of just how dangerous trucking accidents can be for the truck drivers themselves.

A 26-year-old Connecticut man from Stamford had been going northbound on I-95 when his car exited the roadway and headed for a rest stop. Something caused the car to roll and become airborne. The car finally came to a rest against a parked tractor-trailer. Tragically, the truck´s driver was asleep inside the sleeper portion of the cab at the time.

When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, they found the truck driver trapped inside the sleeper. The driver of the car and his passenger also had to be extricated from their vehicle. After everyone was freed, they were transported to local hospitals. The truck driver died as a result of his injuries, while the other two were treated and released.

In early June, the Connecticut man that allegedly caused the accident was finally arrested for the death of the truck driver. He has been charged with several driving offenses, including operating under the influence and with second-degree manslaughter. He has a court date scheduled for mid-June.

Trucking accidents are common, but it is not so common for the truck driver to be severely injured or killed by an accident with a small car as was the case in this Connecticut accident. For the family of the truck driver, it must be very emotional knowing that the man that is supposedly responsible for killing their loved one will finally face charges. The charge alone carries weight that may help the family should they decide to file for wrongful death compensation. While no amount of money can bring their loved one back, a successfully litigated claim may ease the financial burden caused by their loss.

Source: ctpost.com, “Man charged in crash that killed trucker,” June 2, 2013