Besides being a Denver lawyer and a radio talk-show host, Dan Caplis, attorney at law, should also be considered a hero. His preparedness and quick response helped him save the life of Ches Thompson on Thanksgiving in 2009.

Thompson was making Thanksgiving turkey dinner for his family when he decided to take a break to go out and play in the neighborhood touch-football game. It was there he collapsed suddenly from cardiac arrest.

Caplis then ran to the back of his car, and grabbed his AED. It was this device that saved Thompson’s life.

If it weren’t for some quick thinking by Caplis, who ensured to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) in his car, the 48-year-old OB/GYN might not have survived. As a result, Thompson and his family have become advocates for AED awareness. Thompson’s wife, Ellen, now sells AEDs and his sons take them to their sporting events.

“You may not agree with him politically, but he’s our guardian angel,” Ellen told the Denver Post. “Dan’s instantaneous reaction made all the difference.”

The backstory of Caplis’ heroic action began two years prior while Caplis was representing a 17-year-old high school senior in Montana who was fatally struck by cardiac arrest during a football practice. The Bowman’s wanted to make sure coaches have access to an AED, knowing that if they had already that their son might have been saved.

It was actually Jeff’s father, Bob, who convinced Caplis to buy an AED for the Little League team he coaches. Caplis didn’t hesitate to order a $1,700 Powerheart G3. He keeps the machine in the trunk of his car with the rest of his athletic equipment.

“It would have felt so incredibly helpless to have been there without the machine,” Caplis said.

But Caplis knows much credit is due to the foresight of Bob Bowman, who now spends his days training people to save lives during cardiac arrest. He taught Caplis well and was proud of his reaction to Thompson’s attack.

“Dan made a textbook save,” Bowman said. “And out of the tragedy we feel about Jeff every day, an amazing thing has happened — thankfully — for another family.”

Commercial truck drivers literally drive our economy. They carry goods across state lines and from coast to coast. Whenever you buy something in a store or online, it was most likely delivered by a truck.

However, because of tight deadlines, truck driving accidents are very common, and they are often fatal when they do occur. Truck driving accidents have many causes, and here are a few of the most cited reasons:

Truck Driver Fatigue: There’s no question that trucking can be grueling on the body. Truckers are often asked to work long hours to meet their scheduling deadline. Federal regulations require companies to limit truckers to 11 hours of driving after 10 hours of consecutive time off. However, this does not always happen, and when it doesn’t, an accident can occur.

Lack of Truck Maintenance: Truck companies must maintain their trucks to ensure that they are safe for driving. They must keep a record of their maintenance and repairs. If there is an accident due to equipment failure, the trucking company could be at fault.

Truck Driver Inexperience: Driving a commercial truck is way different from driving a passenger vehicle. It requires a high level of training, and even then that might not be enough.  If a driver is experienced with a specific road, it could cause him or her to misjudge a curve or turn, potentially causing an accident.

In the event that you or a family member gets involved in a truck driving accident where the driver or company was at fault, the Law Offices of Daniel J. Caplis wants you to know that you have rights. You can pursue a claim to recoup medical costs, lost wages, and other costs stemming from the accident. If you do want to pursue a claim, be sure to hire an attorney like Daniel J. Caplis to help you fight for justice.