Taliah Mims Injured In Santo FedEx Truck Accident While Driving School Bus For Gunter ISD on I-20
SANTO, TEXAS (December 12, 2022) – A school bus driver identified as Taliah Mims was injured in a Santo collision with a FedEx truck along Interstate 20.
Coleman County officials are saying that the collision took place around 2:56 p.m. on December 9th. A 64-year-old FedEx driver possibly suffered some type of medical emergency when he crossed into opposing lanes of traffic.
The FedEx truck hit a school bus driven by Taliah Mims as the bus was headed to a football game in Abilene. Multiple children, parents and school officials from Gunter ISD were on the bus when the crash took place.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims. Taliah Mims and the FedEx truck driver were taken to the hospital.
A full investigation into the Gunter ISD school bus accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Car Accidents Involving Sudden Emergencies
Having a medical emergency while driving can be one of the scariest things that most people will ever go through. It has been estimated that thousands of collisions every year are due to drivers that experience a medical condition. For example, a driver may experience a sudden loss of consciousness or no longer be able to see the road clearly. There are many medical conditions that can lead to a sudden emergency in a motor vehicle.
- Stroke
- Panic attacks
- Heart attacks
- Seizures
- Allergic reactions
All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care to avoid collisions. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that crosses into opposing lanes of traffic and hits another vehicle head-on. These types of accidents tend to take place when drivers are speeding, distracted or failing to obey traffic regulations. However, liability for a collision can become complicated if a driver experienced a sudden medical emergency before the crash. Like many states, Texas law has a sudden emergency defense which protects defendants from liability for accidents brought on my medical emergencies. There are several elements that will need to be shown for any sudden emergency defense to be effective.
- The unexpected emergency occurred at the time of the accident.
- The emergency or situation was not the fault of the defendant.
- The emergency was such that any reasonable person would have needed to respond immediately without deliberation.
- The actions of the defendant were such that any prudent person would have acted similarly given the situation.
However, even if a person experiences a sudden medical emergency, it is possible they could still be liable for a car accident. For example, if a driver was informed by their doctor that they were unfit to drive and they still decided to go out on the road anyway, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. If a driver was working for some company when such a collision took place, their employer could be liable as well. Generally speaking, employers are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any collision.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
Any person that is injured due to the negligence of another driver may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Many accident victims may not realize the full extent of their injuries for several weeks or months after a collision. A personal injury attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know if you have a valid claim that can be pursued.
Investigating Car Accidents Involving Sudden Emergencies
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to Taliah Mims. It is our sincere hope that she will be able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened so that similar crashes can be prevented.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Texas FedEx truck accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
