The family of a man from Scranton NY who was killed when a tractor trailer struck him on his motorcycle last week settled out of court for $1.5 million last week.

The deceased, Thomas Burke, 65, was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle on the PA Turnpike in Carbon Count in October 2013 when the tractor trailer owned by Lily Transportation Corp. moved into his lane and pushed Burke into a concrete barrier. He died at the crash scene.

The truck driver, who died as the case was pending, had been involved in several truck accidents in the past.

Our truck crash attorneys in Virginia have represented many grieving families whose lives were affected by a negligent truck driver. It seem that there are far too many tractor trailer accidents where negligent truckers either fall asleep at the wheel or or otherwise distracted. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that 750 people die each year due to trucker who fall asleep while driving, and 20,000 more are injured.

Tight deadlines and very demanding delivery schedules, as well as paying trucker by the mile, contribute to drivers driving beyond when they should. The drive to make as much money as possible can have devastating consequences with deadly accidents taking people away from their loved ones. And in the aftermath of the crash, the trucker and the trucking company often must pay out large settlements in wrongful death lawsuits.

All truck drivers would benefit from reviewing the CDL manual for their state. Ours in Virginia notes that it is very important for truckers to never drive beyond their legally allowed number of hours per week, and to get sufficient rest when they are off duty.