Awareness is of the utmost importance when driving a motor vehicle. Drivers need to make sure they have been properly rested in order to avoid falling asleep on the road. This could lead to a serious accident which may cause injuries or even death. This seems to have been the case in a recent truck accident in Nebraska.
The incident happened in early October when a 62-year-old truck driver had apparently dozed off. This caused the truck to veer onto the shoulder of the road as he was driving approximately 55 mph. The truck ended up hitting a 52-year-old male bicyclist who had been riding on the side of the road.
The bicyclist suffered serious injuries, including broken vertebrae, fractured ribs and a concussion. He also had a broken pelvis and a fractured sternum. Reports did not list any injuries suffered by the driver of the truck. The police cited the driver of the truck for careless driving, unlawfully overtaking a bicycle and driving on the shoulder of the road. The citation related to the bicyclist stems from a new state law passed in 2012.
The driver of the truck will now have to answer these charges in court. The bicyclist will surely be interested in the progress of these proceedings, and he is also entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit as a result of the truck accident in Nebraska. This claim may be made against the trucker and possibly his employer, if he was on-the-job at the time of the collision. A successfully presented claim may help him pay for the medical bills following treatment for his injuries. It can also replace any income lost due to not being able to work during his recovery period.
Source: klkntv.com, “Update: Driver cited in truck vs. bicycle accident near Bennet“, Kayla Bremer, Oct. 7, 2014