Workers’ Compensation for Truck Driver Injuries and Fatalities
Recently, a multi-vehicle accident in the Bronx resulted in at least three deaths along with many additional injuries. The accidents involved 18-wheeler trucks. One 18-wheeler was stopped in traffic on Cross Bronx Expressway in the middle lane. Another approaching 18-wheeler was not able to stop his own truck and he hit the 18-wheeler. A chain collision resulted, according to CBS Local New York.
The driver of the first 18-wheeler which was hit did not get hurt, but the driver of the second truck did suffer injuries and spoke to the news from his hospital bed. He said he was “lucky to be alive,” and explained he was not able to stop the accident from happening because the road was too slick. Unfortunately, this accident is one of many which commercial truck drivers will be involved in over the course of the year. Driving a truck is one of the most dangerous professions in the country, and can be an especially high-risk job in New York City where there is a lot of traffic and where it is difficult for trucks to effectively navigate busy city streets.
If a trucker is involved in an accident and sustains injuries, the truck driver needs to understand his rights- including the right to make a workers’ compensation claim. Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of truck driver injuries and fatalities, but are also not the only cause. Any trucker hurt on-the-job should consult with an experienced attorney for assistance.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a new report recently which highlights the dangers of the trucking profession. According to the report, drivers of heavy trucks and tractor trail trucks experienced 475 fatal injuries, which BLS said was: “the most of any occupation.”
Truckers experience so many workplace injuries because the nature of their job requires them to be on the road all the time. Transportation incidents are, according to BLS, the type of incident which results in the highest total number of fatal work injuries. The risk of transportation incidents is also rising, with a nine percent increase in fatal transportation incidents on the roads between 2015 and 2016. A total of 26 percent of all fatal work injuries happened due to transportation incidents, and close to half of the fatalities in transportation incidents on-the-job involved a semi-truck, a tanker truck, or a tractor trailer.
In total, 629 of the trucker fatalities that occurred due to workplace injuries occurred because of a road incident. Truckers could also be hurt when loading and unloading trucks. Falls and being crushed by objects or machinery are possible causes of injury for truckers, in addition to the risk of motor vehicle accidents. If a trucker is hurt, he or his family need to talk with an experienced attorney about whether they can pursue a workers’ compensation claim and/or should explore the possibility of a lawsuit against a third-party non-employer.