Driving under the influence (DUI) is illegal for commercial truck drivers. While most people can only be arrested for and convicted of DUI per se in Pennsylvania if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or more, the legal limit for truck drivers and anyone else operating a commercial vehicle with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is 0.04%.
Drunk driving truck accidents in Blue Bell are more common than anyone would like to think they are, and they can be trickier to successfully file suit over than many injured people expect. Contacting a seasoned truck accident lawyer should be one of your top priorities if you think your wreck was caused by that trucker’s intoxication.
Proving a Truck Driver Was Drunk Behind the Wheel
Since drunk driving is against the law for truck drivers and all other drivers in Pennsylvania, a DUI conviction following a truck crash in Blue Bell can be strong evidence that the trucker in question should also be held civilly liable for the wreck. Unfortunately, filing time limits set by state law mean that sometimes you have to sue over a truck wreck before a related criminal case is over. Sometimes, truckers who cause crashes by being impaired aren’t even arrested for drunk driving in the first place.
It’s sometimes necessary to prove on your own that a drunk trucker is responsible for the harm you’ve sustained, typically through evidence like:
- Accident reports written by police officers who responded to the crash scene
- Footage from security or dashboard cameras that caught the crash in progress
- Eyewitness testimony
- Crash scene photos
- Data from a truck’s onboard data recorder, or black box
- Receipts and other records showing when and where a truck driver bought alcohol before getting on the road
Support from experienced legal counsel can be key to both finding important information for your case and making effective use of it in order to get you paid what you deserve.
What Damages Are Available Through a Truck Crash Claim?
A comprehensive lawsuit or settlement proposal over a drunk driving truck wreck in Blue Bell should account for both short-term and long-term effects that wreck will have on you, including things like:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Mental anguish and trauma
- Car repairs or replacement and other out-of-pocket expenses
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Lost work wages and future earning ability
A court may also make a truck driver or their employer pay punitive damages to punish them for extreme negligence, but it’s fairly rare for this to happen, even in cases involving very serious injuries.
A Blue Bell Attorney Can Help Sue Over a Drunk Driving Truck Accident
Anyone who drives drunk is putting everyone around them at risk of serious harm and breaking the law at the same time. When tractor-trailer drivers choose to be irresponsible in this way, they’re especially dangerous.
Taking legal action over a drunk driving truck accident in Blue Bell is easier with support from a seasoned lawyer who is well-known for winning cases like yours in the past. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your options in a free, no-obligation consultation.
