The attorneys for a man who was injured because of a loose truck wheel have settled his claim for $2.25 million prior to trial. The incident highlights the danger posed by detached wheels and other forms of truck debris.
Plaintiff Swerved to Avoid Loose Truck Wheel
On December 29, 2016, the plaintiff was traveling southbound on Interstate 294 near Glenview. At that time, a truck driver was also operating a truck and trailer on Interstate 294 for his employer, a snow removal company, when a wheel fell from the trailer. The plaintiff was forced to swerve his vehicle to avoid the loose truck wheel, which resulted in shoulder and neck injuries, including a torn rotator cuff.
To treat his injuries, the plaintiff required shoulder surgery and neck injections. He may also need shoulder or cervical spine surgery at a future date. The plaintiff has reportedly been unable to return to work as a union sprinkler fitter because of his injuries.
The defense admitted fault in the loose truck wheel accident but disputed the nature and the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries. The defense also contended that the plaintiff suffered from severe degenerative arthritis in his neck and shoulder that resulted from twenty years of working as a sprinkler fitter. The defense further argued that the plaintiff could work in a supervisory setting in his profession and therefore would not experience any loss of income.
Despite these objections, the plaintiff’s attorneys and the defense reached a settlement in the amount of $2.25 million on June 14, 2019, three days before jury selection was to begin for a scheduled trial.
GWC congratulates the plaintiff and his attorneys for their successful outcome.
The Danger of Truck Debris
According to a study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in 2016, debris falling from trucks and trailers caused more than 200,000 crashes in the United States from 2011 through 2014. These crashes resulted in approximately 39,000 injuries and 500 fatalities.
A 2012 Government Accountability Office study found even worse numbers, with 10,000 injuries and 440 deaths in 2010 alone because of accidents involving truck debris.
In most cases, these injuries occurred when the debris struck vehicles directly, often setting off a chain reaction of collisions with other vehicles. However, as you can see from the incident above, it is not necessary for truck debris to make direct contact with a vehicle in order to cause severe injuries. More than one-third of the fatalities noted in the AAA study occurred when a driver swerved to avoid hitting truck debris and instead collided with other vehicles and obstacles or veered off the road.
How a Truck Accident Attorney Can Help You
If you have been injured because of a loose truck wheel or some other form of truck debris, you may be considering filing a personal injury lawsuit. But litigation for commercial truck accidents can be especially challenging given how many parties may be involved. In addition to the driver and his or her employer, there may be another company that hired the employer to ship its goods, and possibly even other companies still. Determining who is responsible for a truck accident can prove difficult, and this difficulty is compounded in accidents caused by loose wheels or other types of truck debris. It is crucial that all parties who are potentially at fault be identified and pursued within the time limited by law. Failure to do so in a timely fashion could forever bar plaintiffs from obtaining the financial compensation they deserve.
For these reasons, people injured in truck accidents often find that they might benefit from the guidance of an experienced attorney, such as the truck accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers.
With more than $2 billion recovered for our clients in over four decades in the business, GWC is one of the leading Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois.
If you or a loved one have been wrongfully injured, from a loose truck wheel or in some other way, please contact GWC today to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys. Call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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