Truck Accidents Lawyers

Trucks accidents are far more dangerous than collisions involving passenger vehicles because of the sheer size and weight of commercial freight trucks. Large trucks carrying heavy cargo can weigh over 80,000 pounds. That means any truck accident can have devastating, or even deadly, consequences for passenger vehicles on the road.

Commercial freight trucks also take a longer time to break. Loaded tractor trailers can take up to 40 percent longer to stop than cars, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Trucks take even longer to stop on wet and slippery roads.

Additionally, some trucks carry hazardous materials in their cargo, like gas or flammable liquids. This poses a danger beyond the risk of collision. After all, an accident with one of these trucks could lead to life-threatening fires or hazardous chemical spills on the roadway.

For all these reasons, truck accidents can cause severe and debilitating injuries, including:

• Broken bones
• Burns
• Lost limbs
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injury
• Traumatic brain injury
• Wrongful death

According to a truck crash causation study by FMCSA and NHTSA, the four top causes of truck accidents are:

• Distraction: The driver was distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle or failed to observe the road.
• Misjudgment: The driver was driving too fast for road conditions or followed other vehicles too closely.
• Poor Performance: The driver panicked, overcompensated, or exercised poor control while on the road.
• Non-Performance: The driver fell asleep, had a heart attack or seizure, or was impaired.

The study also found that half of all large truck accidents involved collisions between the truck and a passenger vehicle.

The risk factors associated with these crashes for truck drivers include: brake problems, prescription or over-the-counter drug use, traveling too fast for conditions, roadway problems, and fatigue, among others.

Fatigue, in particular, is a serious concern for overworked truck drivers. That’s why the FMCSA regulates the hours of service that truckers are allowed to drive in order, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Still, the NTSB has estimated that driver fatigue plays a role in over 30% of trucking accidents. That means that a worrisome number of truck drivers on the road are still overworked despite FMCSA regulations.

Every truck accident is different and the damages you can seek vary based on the details of your particular case. But generally, victims of truck accidents can seek economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover monetary losses associated with the truck accident, including:

• Medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Vocational rehabilitation

Non-economic damages cover more abstract losses to a person’s ability to lead a meaningful and happy life following a truck accident. These type of damages, which can be far more difficult to quantify, include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium

If you or a loved one were hurt in a collision with a large truck, it is vital that you contact a truck accident attorney.

Truck accident lawsuits are complex and need a thorough investigation to determine who is liable. It could be the truck driver, the truck company, or the manufacturer of the truck and its equipment, or other parties.

In some truck accident cases, more than one company may be liable for the accident. It takes a skilled truck accident attorney to determine if multiple parties share blame for your accident.

Truck companies are also required to hold more liability coverage than standard motorists. As a result, insurance companies will fight tooth and nail to minimize or deny your claim in order to avoid paying out the full compensation you deserve. You will need an experienced truck accident attorney on your side to fight for your best interest following an accident.

Fill out our free, no-obligation case evaluation form or call 1-800-HURT-511 to connect with a truck accident attorney who will fight to get you justice.