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You’re driving down the highway in San Antonio, minding your own business, when the truck in front of you suddenly jumps lanes and crashes on its side. The fallen truck is blocking the highway, and you see the cars around crashing into it one after the other, and you’re next. You ram the brakes but crash anyway, unable to stop in time.

The next thing you know, you’re being pulled out of the wreckage by paramedics. This was a pretty dramatic example, but it’s not uncommon for truck accidents to happen on the highway, given how much pressure truck drivers are under to meet deadlines. San Antonio is a city that sees a lot of truck accidents, and residents should know how to protect their rights. If you’re a victim of such an accident, you should get the help of a lawyer, as it is difficult to win an 18-wheeler wreck claim in San Antonio.

What Qualifies as Substance Abuse?

You later find out the cause of the truck accident – the driver was intoxicated. Substance abuse is the illegal use of any chemical compound that can affect the state of your mind. This includes alcohol and drugs. Unfortunately, there have been incidents in the past where truck drivers caused from being high on alcohol or drugs.

Substance abuse includes the illegal (or excessive) use of the following:

• Alcohol
• Over-the-counter medicine
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Marijuana

Trucking companies are legally required to run drug tests on their drivers before hiring them. If they fail to comply with these regulations, the trucking company can be held liable.

How Substance Abuse Can Cause Truck Accidents

When people consume excessive amounts of alcohol, prescription medication, or drugs, it can impair their minds and affect their ability to make decisions. For a driver, it can distort their ability to judge distances and respond quickly to obstacles on the road. The use of substances can also make people drowsy, causing them to fall asleep at the wheel.

People have been known to drive erratically, like switch lanes suddenly, brake unexpectedly, or drive excessively fast under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This can cause accidents, resulting in heavy damage to property and severe injuries to people. If the vehicle in question is a truck, the damage can be more extensive, given the size and weight of the vehicle.

The Cost of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents cost the government thousands of dollars every year. The money is often used to treat people’s injuries, fix the roads that were damaged in the accident, and compensate for any damaged goods the truck was carrying.

Victims of truck accidents are entitled to compensation for any damage they face from the accident, including medical bills, property damage, any long-term disabilities, etc. Typically, insurance providers pay for these bills, and depending on who was at fault, it could be the trucking company’s, the driver’s, or a combination of both.

Conclusion

Truck accidents leave catastrophic damage in their wake, affecting people’s lives and costing thousands of dollars in repair costs. Substance abuse has been found to be a cause of many accidents, and both drivers and trucking companies can be penalized for these incidents. It’s important for victims to hire competent lawyers to support them in filing for damages, as it can be expensive to handle the costs of these accidents on their own.