Police suspect a medical emergency caused an elderly driver to lose consciousness behind the wheel of her car before she crossed into the path of oncoming traffic on U.S. 460 in Windsor, Virginia (VA), and hitting a pickup truck, another vehicle and a tractor-trailer. The woman lost her life, and the commercial truck driver went to the hospital with injures.
Investigators told the Daily Press they do not know whether the 76-year-old Ivor, VA, resident was killed in one of the head-on collisions or died because of her apparent health problem.
Regardless of the cause of the accident, the results are truly sad. Every crash carries the potential for tragedy, and this incident on January 3, 2012, could not have ended much worse for one woman and her friends and families. Also, while the trucker survived the collision, he now faces medical bills, lost income from having to take time off from work while recovering and, if his injuries prove serious, potential disability.
The trucker needs to know that even if a medical emergency is determined to be the reason for the wreck, he can still receive compensation through the a-fault driver’s car insurance policy. This would be particularly true if evidence shows that the woman knew she had a health condition that could make operating a motor vehicle dangerous. To ensure he does not sustain long-lasting financial injuries in addition to his physical ones, the tractor-trailer operator should consult with a Virginia personal injury attorney.
EJL
consciousness