Truck accidents are some of the most devastating accidents out there, and the reason are fairly obvious. Trucks, and when I say trucks I’m referring to semi-trucks or tractor trailer trucks, are the largest vehicle on the road, outweighing most other vehicles by thousands of pounds. And when one of those trucks hits another vehicle, which most of the time is not another semi-truck, the results are disastrous.

But these kinds of accidents don’t have to happen. We can prevent them by simply preventing one of the most common causes of truck accidents – driver fatigue.

As any truck accident attorney will attest, driver fatigue accounts for an extremely large majority of the causes of truck accidents out there. And, though it will lighten their pockets considerably, any truthful truck accident lawyer will tell you these accidents are completely preventable. Here are a couple of ideas to reduce this tragedy.

First, truck drivers need to be made aware that they may be suffering from sleep disorders and be provided the tools to diagnose and treat any sleeping disorders that may exist. There is nothing worse than an accident that could be prevented by awareness and perhaps medication.

Second, making it okay for truck drivers to stop and rest when they are tired. As I stated in the abstract, truck drivers are pushed to the limits of their abilities when it comes to hours driven. And though there are standards out there, many times drivers will push through to make it to a destination despite their lack of sleep. A cultural shift needs to occur that makes it okay to stop and rest.

Third, the government needs to help out with number two by providing adequate places for trucks to pull off the road to rest. Many truckers have their beds in the cab of their truck so they can sleep anywhere anytime. But if there is no place for them to safely park their vehicle, it is going to be impossible for them to stop and rest.

By adopting these simple solutions we should be able to greatly reduce the number of semi-truck accidents out there. Let’s get to work on this!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Small

Case name:McMullan v. Permatex, Inc., et al., No. SACV 08-0673 DOC RNBx C.D. Cal. 12/08/08.

Ruling: The U.S. District Court, Central District of California ruled that an employee’s personal injury suit against his former employer was not barred by the Workers’ Compensation Act. It denied the employer’s request to dismiss the suit.

What it means: Under California law, an employee may pursue a claim for personal injuries against his employer outside the workers’ compensation system under the “fraudulent concealment” exception to the WCA. He must establish three essential elements in order to state such a claim: 1 the employer knew that the employee had suffered a work-related injury; 2 the employer concealed that knowledge from the employee; and 3 the injury was aggravated as a result of such concealment.

Summary: The claimant worked as a truck driver for the employer and its predecessors for more than 30 years, transporting, delivering and handling carpeting, carpet padding, and carpet installation products. He claimed that as a result of exposure to hazardous levels of toxins, he sustained injuries, including multiple myeloma. The employer contended that the claimant’s suit was barred because California’s WCA provided the exclusive remedy for his injuries. Siding with the claimant, the court denied the employer’s bid to dismiss the suit.

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