One Person Injured In Elsa Semi-Truck Accident Near the Intersection of SH 88 and FM 490
HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS (February 24, 2023) – One person was injured in an Elsa semi-truck accident with a Chevrolet Silverado by the intersection of SH 88 and FM 490.
Hidalgo County officials are saying that the collision took place around 11:45 a.m. on Monday. A semi-truck failed to yield the right-of-way at a stop sign and hit a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. The driver of the pickup truck was airlifted to the Valley Baptist Medical Center.
It remains unclear if the driver of the semi-truck will receive any citations. A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Hidalgo County Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-truck drivers have difficult jobs and are often asked to work at all hours of the night and day. It is therefore not surprising that driver fatigue is a major contributing factor for semi-truck accidents. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, “Research has suggested that truck driver fatigue is a contributing factor in 30 to 40 percent of all heavy truck accidents.” The Centers for Disease Control has estimated that staying awake for only 18 hours reduces a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a BAC of 0.05%. There are a number of measures that truck drivers must take to fight driver fatigue.
- Truck drivers must be well rested before the start of their shift.
- Truck drivers can only be on duty for 60 hours over a 7-day period.
- Truck drivers can only drive a total of 11 hours over a 14 hour-hour work shift.
- Truck drivers are required to take periodic breaks during their shift.
Semi-truck drivers need to get a commercial license and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Pursuant to Texas Transportation Code 545.151, the driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign must stop and yield the right-of-way to all cross traffic that is close enough so as to pose a hazard. If a truck driver goes past a yield sign without stopping, this may be considered prima facie evidence of their failure to yield.
When a truck driver is negligent and causes an accident, their employer could be held at fault. In general, companies are liable for the negligent actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a truck driver may have been transporting goods when they crashed. Victims of semi-truck accidents tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries.
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
The FMCSA requires commercial trucks to carry between $750,000 – $5,000,000 worth of liability insurance. Any person that is injured in a semi-truck accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Hidalgo County Semi-Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to the victim of this Elsa truck accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. This was a preventable crash that should not have taken place. There needs to be some accountability for the victim.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Elsa semi-truck accident? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here for you. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
