indiana injury and family lawyer blog

When driving, you often share the road with vehicles much larger than the one you’re in. As a result, it’s important to proactively keep an eye out for trucks, buses, and other large commercial vehicles. Often, Indiana truck accidents have significant consequences because truck drivers fail to live up to the expectations the law places upon them. When this occurs, truck drivers and their employers may be liable for an accident victim’s injuries.

In Indiana, truck accidents are common. According to a recent news article, the driver of a pick-up truck was pronounced dead following a head-on collision in Indiana County. The deceased was struck by a tri-axle truck that crossed the center line of the road, causing the two trucks to crash. The pick-up truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and the condition of the four other passengers in his vehicle is unknown.

In Indiana, there are various laws governing truck accidents. For example, the Indiana Department of Transportation has established its own set of trucking regulations that cover requirements such as obtaining permits and oversized loads. There are also federal laws governing commercial trucking in the United States, with standards covering details such as inspections, transportation of hazardous materials, licensing, use of mobile devices while operating a vehicle, and emergency signal equipment. These elements could be important for establishing liability if you are the victim of a truck accident.

We’ve all been there: you’re headed to our next destination, and suddenly an onslaught of traffic comes out of nowhere, followed by a massive slowdown. Although vehicles in traffic tend to move at a slow pace, cars and trucks approaching traffic or surprise slowdowns can often lead to dangerous car accidents. When approaching a major traffic clog on a busy roadway, large vehicles that don’t slow down in time or change lanes suddenly can often lead to catastrophic consequences for both themselves and the drivers around them.

In a recent Indiana news report, a major car accident on a local toll road left a teenager dead and several injured. According to a preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police, a semi-truck was heading eastbound when it hit traffic that had accumulated because of a nearby crash. When the semi-truck driver changed lanes as he slowed down, a vehicle hit the back of the tanker-trailer that he was hauling. The driver and two of the vehicle passengers were all airlifted to a local hospital, and another back seat passenger died from his injuries.

In Indiana, when a driver changes lanes suddenly and an accident occurs, it may initially be unclear who is at fault. However, drivers have a responsibility both to their passengers and to other drivers on the road to adhere to local laws and operate their vehicles with safety and caution. When changing lanes, drivers should assess the situation by checking their mirrors, slowing down or speeding up appropriately, and putting drivers around them on notice by using their turn signal before making their lane change. For drivers of large vehicles, such as semi-trucks, ensuring adequate room to make a lane change is crucial.

Recently, the state’s supreme court issued an opinion stemming from an Indiana tractor-trailer accident. According to the opinion, the plaintiff was traveling from Georgia to Iowa to begin a new job. While he was driving, a tractor-trailer hit the plaintiff’s car, causing the plaintiff to slam his head against his window. The tractor-trailer driver continued to drive after the collision; however, the plaintiff could flag him down and motion him to stop. When police arrived, the plaintiff advised them that he was not hurt and did not need assistance. However, at some point during his trip, he felt something irritate his eye. After arriving in Iowa, he washed out his eye and pulled out a piece of glass. He went to the hospital and was referred to an ophthalmologist who recommended an MRI. The MRI showed a tumor, and the doctor warned him that he should have the tumor removed or risk going blind.

A few months later, the plaintiff sought treatment from a neurosurgeon who told him that he was experiencing a pituitary apoplexy, often triggered by a sudden event caused by bleeding into the tumor. The plaintiff underwent surgery and removed the tumor. Following the surgery, the plaintiff met with an endocrinologist, who diagnosed him with a hormonal imbalance. The doctor advised him to start testosterone injections, but the plaintiff waited a year before beginning treatment.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the truck driver and his employer, claiming that the accident caused a pre-existing tumor to swell. The parties admitted fault, but disputed damages, arguing that the plaintiff failed to mitigate them. The defendants argued that the plaintiff did not take the medication his doctor prescribed, failed to follow-up with alternative medicine, and did not fill his eyeglasses prescription. The defendant asked the court to provide the jury with a failure to mitigate damages instruction. The plaintiff argued that there was not enough evidence for the instruction.