POTTER, Nebraska—A 53-year-old female from Potter suffered serious injuries after a collision with a semi-truck on Highway 30 on the afternoon of October 31, 2022.
According to reports of the accident, the woman was driving a 2007 Honda passenger car when she stopped at the intersection of Highway 30 and Chestnut Street. She then attempted to make a left-hand turn onto Highway 30 but was hit by a 2012 Kenworth semi-truck owned by a construction company.
The female driver had to be extricated from her vehicle and was then airlifted to Regional West Medical center in Scottsbluff for emergency treatment. The 42-year-old semi-truck driver was uninjured in the crash.
The accident resulted in the closure of Highway 30 near the crash site for about two hours.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, but no further information has been released.
Further investigation is needed to determine liability in this accident.
Thankfully, the 53-year-old victim in this crash survived being T-boned by an 18-wheeler; few people in small vehicles live through these horrific accidents. Although we are not yet privy to all the facts surrounding the crash, some might assume that the female driver pulled out in front of the semi-truck at the intersection, placing fault squarely on her. However, that may not be the case. Other alternate theories of causation may require the truck driver or a trucking company to share in the liability of the accident instead.
For instance, the semi-truck driver could be partially responsible for the accident if the driver failed to see the woman’s Honda at the intersection. Semi-truck drivers must remain vigilant while driving and must take every reasonable measure to avoid collisions. Here, if the semi-truck driver was distracted or otherwise failed to see the female driver entering the intersection, the driver would have breached his or her duty to drive safely.
Not only can truck drivers be held accountable for failing to provide for the safety of others, but commercial trucking companies can also be held responsible for the actions of their truck drivers on the road. Trucking companies must, therefore, educate their drivers on topics regarding safety, including how to spot smaller passenger cars and protocol for avoiding collisions with other vehicles. If they do not, then commercial trucking companies can be subject to the same liabilities as their drivers.
Sometimes, after suffering severe injuries from a crash, victims and their families are too preoccupied with recovery or exhausted from caretaking to pursue legal action against a truck driver or a commercial trucking company. However, it is important that crash victims and their families have access to the legal system so they can pursue compensation from any wrongdoer associated with the accident. Most often, trucking companies carry insurance that can fully cover the costs of victims’ medical expenses, pain, and suffering. Additionally, holding wrongdoers accountable ensures safer roadways for us all.
