Trucking Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Lawyer

Ensuring the safety of commercial trucking is a significant concern in the United States, particularly as the presence of commercial vehicles and delivery trucks on the roads continues to rise.

According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2021 witnessed a concerning number of crashes involving large trucks. The statistics show that 494,000 crashes were reported involving these large trucks. Of these incidents, 5,149 tragically resulted in fatalities, and another 110,000 involved injuries. These figures underscore the critical importance of stringent safety measures and regulations in the trucking industry to mitigate risks and enhance safety for all road users.

If you have tragically lost a loved one in a truck accident, our professional and compassionate team is here to help you secure the compensation you deserve.

Trucking accidents can be highly complex, particularly when determining fault. Factors such as the time of day and the truck driver’s hours on duty can significantly influence this determination.

Our qualified accident attorneys are dedicated to helping you secure the compensation you deserve. Being involved in a large big rig accident is a frightening and traumatic experience. Trucking companies may attempt to minimize their liability, but our attorneys will fight vigorously for maximum compensation on your behalf, whether it involves an individual trucker or a trucking company.

Top 10 Reasons Why Truck Accidents Happen

Truck accidents are a serious concern on our roads, often resulting in severe injuries, fatalities, and significant property damage. Understanding the primary causes of these accidents is crucial for improving safety measures and reducing the incidence of such tragic events. Here are the top ten reasons why truck accidents happen:

1. Driver Fatigue: Long hours on the road without adequate rest can lead to fatigue, which significantly impairs reaction times and decision-making, increasing the risk of accidents.
2. Distracted Driving: Truck drivers using mobile phones, eating, or engaging in other distractions while driving can lose focus on the road, increasing the risk of accidents.
3. Speeding: Exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for road conditions reduces the driver’s ability to react quickly to avoid collisions.
4. Impaired Driving: The use of alcohol, drugs, or certain medications can impair a truck driver’s motor skills, judgment, and reaction times.
5. Poor Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, fog, and ice can make roads slippery and reduce visibility, making it difficult for truck drivers to maintain control of their vehicles.
6. Improper Loading: Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo can cause a truck to become unbalanced, leading to rollovers or loss of control.
7. Mechanical Failures: Brake failures, tire blowouts, and other mechanical issues can cause trucks to malfunction, leading to accidents.
8. Inadequate Training: Drivers who lack proper training in handling large trucks or specific types of cargo may not be equipped to address road challenges.
9. Aggressive Driving: Tailgating, erratic lane changes, and other aggressive driving behaviors can increase the likelihood of collisions.
10. Violation of Traffic Laws: Running red lights, failing to yield, and other traffic liolations by truck drivers can lcreatedangerous sconditionsand alead to ccidents.

Truck accidents pose a significant threat on our roads, often leading to severe injuries, fatalities, and substantial property damage. Identifying the main causes of these accidents is essential for enhancing safety and can play a crucial role in your case.

Why should I hire a trucking accident attorney?

Trucking accidents can be devastating, resulting in severe injuries, fatalities, and substantial financial losses. Navigating the aftermath of such an accident can be overwhelming, particularly when dealing with complex legal issues and insurance claims. Hiring a trucking accident attorney can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. An experienced attorney offers invaluable expertise in complex laws, conducts thorough investigations, and has the negotiation skills necessary to secure fair compensation. They understand the full extent of damages, handle all legal procedures, and can effectively prove liability.

• Expertise in Complex Laws: Trucking accident cases often involve intricate federal and state regulations. An experienced attorney can navigate these complex laws to build a strong case.
• Thorough Investigation: Attorneys have the resources to conduct a comprehensive investigation, gathering crucial evidence, including driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data, to determine liability.
• Negotiation Skills: Insurance companies often aim to minimize payouts. A skilled attorney can negotiate effectively to ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
• Maximizing Compensation: A trucking accident attorney understands the full extent of damages you may be entitled to, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future rehabilitation costs.
• Handling Legal Procedures: Navigating the legal system can be overwhelming. An attorney manages all legal paperwork, filings, and court proceedings, allowing you to focus on recovery.
• Proving Liability: Determining fault in trucking accidents can be complex, often involving multiple parties, including the driver, the trucking company, and manufacturers. An attorney can help establish liability and hold the responsible parties accountable.
• Contingency Fee Arrangement: Many trucking accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless they win your case. This can provide peace of mind and access to quality legal representation.
• Experience with Insurance Companies: Attorneys experienced in trucking accidents are familiar with the tactics used by insurance companies and can effectively counter them to protect your interests.
• Time and Stress Management: Handling a legal case while recovering from an accident can be both time-consuming and stressful. An attorney takes on this burden, allowing you to focus on healing.
• Access to Expert Witnesses: Attorneys often have access to a network of expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals, who can provide crucial testimony to support your case.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Trucking Accident?

In many cases, trucking companies are held liable for negligence in trucking accidents. The company that hired the driver could also be held liable for negligent hiring, failure to inspect driving logs, and failure to train its drivers. Establishing evidence of any of these factors is important when making a negligence claim against the trucking company.

The trucking company could be held liable under vicarious liability. This has the employer liable for the actions of its employees, although the truck drivers may also be liable for any actions that led to the accident.

In addition to the trucking firm, other parties, such as the maintenance company, could be held responsible if the truck was not properly maintained and that failure contributed to the accident.

The truck manufacturer could also be held liable in a product liability lawsuit if a defect caused the accident. Product liability lawsuits hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for producing a product with a design defect, a manufacturing defect, or a warning defect. For more information, contact our team today.

What Causes Trucking Accidents?

• Driver inexperience
• Speeding or careless driving
• Truck driver fatigue
• Poor vehicle maintenance
• Mechanical failure
• Drunk driving/Driving under the influence
• Equipment failure or defects
• Loading cargo improperly 
• Poor weather or road conditions
• Distracted or inattentive driving
• Failure to spot a vehicle in the blind spot
• Having too much cargo or an imbalanced trailer load
• Other third-party drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians, etc.

Fatigue and Distracted Driving Can Play a Huge Role in Truck Accidents

Driver fatigue is a huge issue in the trucking industry and for drivers on the road as a whole. In a national study, truck drivers nationwide average fewer than 5 hours of sleep per day. This puts them at risk of drowsiness at the wheel, increasing the likelihood of an accident. Another study analyzing more than 100,000 truck accidents found that more than 10% of truck drivers involved were fatigued.

To address this issue, the government has enacted several laws to limit the hours truck drivers can work. These regulations include:

• Drivers must take a 30-minute break after eight hoursof continuous drivingt.
• Drivers may drive only 11 hours within any 14-hour period and must take 10 hours off after 11 hours of driving.
• Drivers can not operate a commercial truck for more than 60 hours in 7 days.
• Drivers may drive no more than 70 hours in 8 days and take a 34-hour break before starting their next work week after hitting that limit.

How Do Truck Accidents Differ from Car Accidents?

With larger average loads and longer operating hours, commercial trucks can lead to more severe accidents, higher medical costs, and a higher risk of fatalities than a typical car accident.

• More Property Damage in Truck Accidents – Since commercial loads can sometimes range up to 100,000 pounds in weight, these vehicles can slam into other objects with tons of force behind them. 18-wheelers take longer when slowing down and turning when compared to normal cars, so commercial truck collisions often involve momentous force. With millions of dollars at stake in a typical truck accident, the insurance policies for commercial truck drivers tend to be much higher in premiums and payout amounts. Compared with standard vehicle insurance policies, truck coverage policies can be more than 40 times as large.
• Severity of Injuries in Trucking Accidents – Commercial trucking vehicles are much larger & heavier than average cars. This difference can create disastrous crashes for other vehicles that are lower to the ground, leaving them crushed or mangled and occupants severely injured or dead. Death, paralysis, and serious injuries of the spine & brain are the most common injuries suffered from trucking accidents.
• Cost of Medical Bills – Because injuries in these accidents are more severe on average, the cost of medical care for survivors is typically higher than in passenger vehicle accidents. Drivers of other vehicles involved in these accidents often suffer crippling injuries that require long-term care, costing thousands or even millions in care as a result.

Common Trucking Accident Injuries

• Head and Brain Injuries: These include concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and skull fractures. Such injuries can lead to long-term cognitive impairments, memory loss, and personality changes.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spinal cord can result in partial or complete paralysis. Victims may experience loss of motor function, sensation, and chronic pain.
• Neck and Back Injuries: Whiplash, herniated discs, and other back injuries are common in trucking accidents. These injuries can cause chronic pain and mobility issues.
• Broken Bones: The force of a trucking accident can cause fractures and breaks in the arms, legs, ribs, and other bones, often requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
• Internal Injuries: Damage to internal organs such as the liver, spleen, and kidneys can occur, leading to internal bleeding and requiring immediate medical intervention.
• Burns: Fires and explosions are risks in trucking accidents and can cause severe burns that require long-term treatment and skin grafts.
• Lacerations and Abrasions: Deep cuts and scrapes can occur from shattered glass, metal debris, and other materials, leading to significant blood loss and scarring.
• Amputations: In severe cases, limbs may be crushed or severely damaged, necessitating surgical amputation.
• Chest Injuries: The impact can cause broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and damage to the heart, often requiring emergency medical care.
• Psychological Injuries: Beyond physical harm, trucking accidents can lead to emotional and psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
• Death: Tragically, trucking accidents can be fatal. The loss of life is the most devastating outcome, affecting families profoundly and leading to significant emotional and financial burdens.

These injuries highlight the importance of seeking immediate medical attention and legal representation following a trucking accident to ensure proper treatment and compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions Lawyers Get from Trucking Accidents