Motorists in California and elsewhere must share the road with commercial vehicles. While commercial trucks are necessary for transporting goods and other items efficiently, their large size and heavy weight means they can do a lot of damage to passenger vehicles in a wreck. This was made evident in a recent crash between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle in another state.
Accident details
According to reports, a woman, 53, was slowing to stop at a traffic light. A 47-year-old man was driving a commercial vehicle behind her. In what appears to be a case of distracted driving, the operator of the commercial truck did not react in time to stop and slammed into the back of the woman’s Honda Pilot.
The New Jersey accident occurred on Route 37 and Colonial Drive in Manchester Township on Jan. 4. The truck was owned by a local drilling company and had a trailer carrying an excavator tractor. During the wreck, the trailer jackknifed and struck the side of the truck. The truck and its trailer also took out a utility pole, the traffic light and a couple of signs. The driver of the truck reported no injuries, but the woman reported pain in her head. She was treated at the scene and released.
Legal recourse
Although the woman denied any further medical treatment, head injuries are nothing to brush off. She may begin experiencing symptoms of a traumatic brain injury later. As such, she will want to seek medical counsel to get a full evaluation and documentation of her injury. She will also want to work with legal counsel to gain a full understanding of her rights as well as any statutes of limitations for bringing a personal injury claim against the truck driver and the company he worked for. The same holds true for anyone in California injured in a crash caused by a commercial vehicle.