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North Carolina truck accident: side mirror hits cyclist’s head

On Behalf of | Oct 2, 2012 | Truck Accidents |

Commercial trucks and tractor-trailer rigs can do a lot of damage in an accident, particularly if the other party is a bicyclist. A bike stands little chance against such a large vehicle, and for that reason any truck accident that results from such a collision is normally devastating. Any time an individual gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle in North Carolina, a duty of reasonable care is owed to others in the roadway, including bicycles.

North Carolina authorities indicate that last week a box truck and bicycle were both headed southbound on a Raleigh roadway, with the truck in the right hand lane. Driving alongside the bicycle, the truck was reportedly going 40 mph in a 45 mph zone. The driver is said to have attempted to change lanes so as to avoid the bicycle, but the side view mirror on the passenger side of the truck hit the bicyclist as the truck went by. The bicyclist reportedly fell head first upon impact.

The cyclist, a 46-year-old man from Raleigh, was rushed to the hospital. He remained in critical condition on the day following the truck accident. The truck driver, a North Carolina resident as well, was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision.

It has not been reported whether the truck driver was working for an employer at the time of the collision.

The immediate focus is on the hoped for recovery of the seriously injured bicyclist from the tragic truck accident. He likely has a long road to recovery amidst escalating hospital bills and medical expenses, incurred at a time when he will probably have little expectation of returning to any employment in the near future.

When people are injured in truck accidents, they have the right to pursue personal injury litigation against the truck driver and/or the driver’s employer or another negligent party, if applicable. A successful personal injury claim must be based on evidence of negligence that is deemed to have caused or contributed to the truck accident. Such legal claims can help hold negligent parties accountable and provide compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Source: NewsObserver.com, “Raleigh bicyclist, hit by truck’s mirror, listed in critical condition,” Sept. 25, 2012

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