Backhoe tractors are large and heavy and can inflict serious damage when they are involved in an auto crash, especially when the other vehicle involved is a motorcycle. When a driver is injured from another person's inappropriate operation of a tractor, they may question what legal rights they have after their accident. A Rhode Island man who was injured in an auto crash recently reached a settlement in his lawsuit against the man with whom he collided.

The accident apparently took place when the victim was travelling down a local road on his motorcycle and a backhoe tractor pulled into the road. The tractor was reportedly driven into the wrong lane of traffic as it completed its turn and crashed head-on with the motorcycle. The suit claimed that the tractor did not yield to the right-of-way traffic and was operated with bad tires and brakes at a high rate of speed.

The devastating collision seriously hurt the motorcyclist; he was taken by air to a nearby hospital. The victim suffered a fracture in his neck in addition to a severe head wound and cracked skull. The man was operated on three times, though permanent damage to his head and neck was irreversible. Reports indicate that insurance was not able to cover all of the medical expenses, and that the man was not able to return to his previous career due to his injuries.

The Rhode Island victim continued to suffer with mounting expenses and an inability to earn income as he once did. The lawsuit settlement will help to provide additional operations that are needed and ensure the man can afford future related expenses. A driver who has suffered permanent disability in an auto crash that he or she believes was caused by another person may seek restitution for the medical treatments that become required due to the accident.

Source: norwichbulletin.com, "Plainfield backhoe crash victim gets $1.3M", John Barry, July 23, 2014