The morning of June 23, a Tennessee state trooper stopped to assist with a vehicle fire on I-75 in Campbell County. The officer’s vehicle was legally parked on the shoulder of the interstate and the warning lights of the vehicle had been engaged. While the officer was still in his patrol vehicle, his car was struck by a tractor trailer.
The trooper was taken to UT Medical Center with a fractured rib, fractured vertebrae in his neck and unspecified injuries to his arm. He was treated and released. The driver of the semi truck also hit a tow truck that was on the scene providing assistance. The semi truck did not stop at the scene of the truck accident. The driver was arrested by deputies with the Sheriff’s Department further down the road at a service station.
The driver is now facing several criminal charges, including reckless endangerment, fleeing the scene of an accident and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was subsequently taken to Campbell County Jail. Police stated that they would continue to investigate the accident.
Regardless of the outcome of the criminal case, any driver who injures another through careless driving may be liable for damages that are caused. Any person who is found to have been driving under the influence will be conclusively presumed not to have been driving carefully. In this scenario, a personal injury attorney may be able to help injured parties recover for their medical bills, any lost wages, and pain and suffering. An attorney may be able to help take over negotiations to ensure that accident victims receive a fair settlement. In some cases, an attorney may also be able to take the case to trial to obtain a verdict.
Source: WATE, “State trooper injured after tractor trailer rams patrol car, flee scene“, June 23, 2013