New Braunfels Truck Driver Dies in Medically Caused Crash
A New Braunfels truck driver was killed in a Florida crash mid-June, due to a medical condition that led him to “crash into another vehicle head-on,” according to WXTL, Florida. Lance Oliver, 43, was “driving a 2006 semi truck in the Love’s Truck Stop parking lot” when he crashed into another semi parked in the lot. The 42-year-old driver of the hit semi was not injured in the crash, though the front of Oliver’s truck, which had been disconnected from the trailer, was pushed underneath the other truck “due to the impact of the crash.” Epilepsy, often thought of as the most common medical condition leading to fatal car crashes, in reality causes very few annual fatal accidents, according to WebMD. Between 1995 and 1997, for example, only 86 drivers per year died due to crashes caused by seizures, as opposed to 44,000 drivers who were killed in automobile crashes (for any reason) during the same period. Researchers from John Hopkins University told WebMD that “the total number of deaths due to alcohol-related fatal crashes is 6.6 times greater than the number of fatal crashes associated with medical conditions and 156 times greater [than] those associated with seizures.” Authorities have not yet released the medical condition that caused Oliver to lose control of his vehicle. Other medical conditions—in addition to epilepsy—that are known to cause vehicle include cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. While special licenses are not required for people afflicted by these diseases, if a patient causes a deadly crash it is possible that he could be charged with manslaughter and reckless driving. If you or someone you know has been in an accident caused by a person suffering a chronic disease, you could be entitled to a settlement. Contact a dedicated New Braunfels injury lawyer today.
