For Pennsylvania State Police, one of the riskiest jobs they perform may be one of the most mundane and uninteresting. When debris is on the road, from either a car or truck collision or items that have fallen off a bed of a truck or trailer, it is often a State Police Trooper who responds to clean up the mess.
While the task of cleaning up the debris may be simple, the risk is never low, because those troopers have to be constantly aware of the presence of traffic, sometimes travelling at high-speeds, within feet of where they are attempting remove debris.
One such trooper is now in a Pennsylvania hospital recovering from grievous injuries suffered when a motorist was apparently unable to stop his vehicle in time, stuck the trooper and caused him to “vault” over his patrol car.
He suffered head trauma, broken bones and a crushed pelvis, along with “significant blood loss.” He was lucky to have survived being struck by the vehicle, but is likely to face a long and difficult road to recovery.
In addition to the injuries to his pelvis and other broken bones, which could make walking difficult or impossible, if he suffered traumatic brain injuries, he could face long term psychological and physiological issues.
Brain injuries can leave a person catastrophically disabled, with significantly diminished capacity for work and for many life activities. They can also leave one with seemingly minor changes, like an inability to focus, increased forgetfulness, and other behavioral changes.
He may require multiple surgeries and years of rehabilitation to regain some semblance of is former life, and he may never be able to return to his job.
CBS Pittsburg, “State Trooper Hit By Vehicle In Westmoreland County,” Heather Abraham, October 29, 2014