Truck accidents are more likely to result in death or serious injury than an accident between two passenger cars. In addition to the large weight and length, trucks are elevated from the road, causing more damage to passenger cars it collides with. A truck accident lawyer needs to understand the varying components of truck accidents in order to advocate for medical bill payment, lost wages, and long term injury related costs.
Leading causes of trucking accidents
Speeding. Given the size and weight of trucks, especially in proportion to cars, speeding trucks can cause a large amount of damage to other vehicles. Pressure on drivers to make deadlines can incentivize dangerous, speedy driving.
Driver Fatigue. Truck drivers’ demanding hours can lead to driver fatigue, and sometimes falling asleep at the wheel. In addition, if a driver is forced to wait out dangerous weather conditions, he or she may need to drive longer hours to make up for lost time. There are regulations for truck drivers that determine how many hours a driver can drive in one shift and how much sleep they must get. Many companies fail to enforce these regulations and even encourage drivers to drive longer hours.
Dangerous Road Conditions. Inclement weather and poorly maintained roads hugely contribute to truck accidents. An inexperienced or undertrained driver can make dangerous road conditions even more unsafe. Fast and aggressive driving in poor conditions can lead to jackknifing and hydroplaning.
Truck drivers are not always the responsible party involved in an accident. Driving in a truck driver’s blind spot, illegal maneuvers, following too closely, and distracted driving are some of the mistakes our truck accident lawyers see when handling cases.
Much like car accidents involving two passenger cars, trucking accidents can cause serious injuries. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and catastrophic injuries are just some of the injuries in the cases that our truck accident lawyers handle. An experienced truck accident lawyer will be able to assess the future cost of such serious injuries as well as investigate the accident and determine the driver at fault.