Behind every truck accident, there is an irresponsible driver’- that is what most of the people believe. While that generally is the case; there are some other reasons behind sometimes fatal truck accidents.
Here are 5 most common reasons behind most of the truck accidents-
1. Irresponsible Driver: Irresponsible drivers are the number one reason behind most of the gruesome truck accidents on road. Fatigue, distraction, negligence, and substance abuse are few of the most common causes that lead to mistakes by truck drivers.
2. Equipment Failure: Equipment failure is another common cause of truck crashes. It includes conditions such as defective tires or mechanical issues like brake failure. Every commercial vehicle requires regular maintenance and inspection. Skipping pre-trip inspection has been found as the cause in many truck mishaps. Time spent staying safe before a trip is time well spent.
3. Inexperienced Drivers: Sometimes logistics companies hire drivers without enough experience to cut costs. The more inexperienced a driver is with the route, the load, and the truck the more likelihood that the driver will not have the experience to deal with the deadly situations as they manifest.
4. Weather Conditions: For commercial vehicles, weather conditions matter more. In harsh weather condition, not only does it become challenging for the truck drivers to maintain grip on roads, the possibility of other drivers committing mistakes also increases and its more difficult to stop.
5. Improper Loading: When a truck is not loaded properly, it can be disastrous. Improperly loaded trucks can lead to the most horrific accidents.
If you or your loved one has been the victim of an unfortunate accident, you should consider filing a lawsuit and a claim for appropriate compensation. For this, you should consult with truck accident attorneys, as firms that routinely deal with truck accident matters can look to find the different level of policies, enhance the proofs, and facilitate the investigations.. They will explain you candidly about your chances for compensation, and likelihood of success.
Many accident attorneys will only charge you a fee if they win your case, so even though the truck accident injury or fatality may be an economic burden on you and your family, the cost of the attorney will not be.
The difference between the size of a truck and other vehicles on the road is huge. This difference in size and momentum makes truck accidents fatal in nature.
If a truck collides with a smaller vehicle, chances are high that the truck driver will to get out safe; whereas, the other party may sustain deep and incurable disabilities and injuries.
To safeguard the victims of such unfortunate accidents financially, there is a provision in law, according to which, the sufferer can claim compensation by filing a case against the wrongdoer.
If the driver believes that some manufacturing defect or lack of maintenance of the trailer caused the accident, he can also file a lawsuit against his employer or the maker of components.
Clause related to driver’s safety is often included in the contract drawn between the driver and the trucking company. The contract can be used by trucking accident lawyer to help him earn compensation, if he can prove the other party guilty.
In most of the cases, negligence leads to road accidents. Negligence is when a person fails to take appropriate actions to avoid a foreseeable mishap that is likely to harm others. It often happens when person in charge of a vehicle does not follow the rules properly.
Sometimes truck drivers are made to work for extra hours, depriving them of proper physical rest. This can result in fatigue and tiredness, which leads to lack of focus while driving.
If during the lawsuit it is concluded that driver’s fatigue or driving beyond legal hours caused the accident, trucking company will have to reimburse the victim with demanded amount.
Other common reasons that lead to these mishaps include use of drugs, over-speeding, carrying out illegal maneuvers, or simply not taking enough precautions to avoid accidents.
If you or your beloved has suffered a truck accident, file a lawsuit against the trucking company as soon as possible to get the justice you deserve.
We all have experienced that fearsome moment when a large truck goes barreling by on the road, sometimes in less than desirable weather conditions. That is one of the moments that can make even the most experience drivers tense jittery and sweaty. This fear is justified in more than one way considering the humongous size of trucks and trailers, and the power these vehicles have.
These vehicles are capable of causing perilous situations upon colliding with some other vehicle on the road. This is the reason why the department of transportation has set out rules to exercise control over trucking companies in a way that ensures the safety of others on the road. This government body regulates the commercial vehicles including trucks.
There are hours of service specifically mentioned in the law which states that a truck weighing more than 10,000 pounds can be driven during given hours only. Even during those hours, no driver can operate one such vehicle beyond 14 hours of consistent driving to theoretically ensure a well rested driver.
This duration must be followed by 10 hours of off-duty. The driving history of off-duty and on-duty hours must be maintained in the log books.
Ensuring compliance with these rules is essential because fatigue is often deemed a big reason behind truck accidents. If the driver is proven to be a factor behind the mishap, the trucking company may have to pay the victim compensation for their truck related injuries according to the law.
Not just the hours, many other protocols are also associated with lawsuits, such as whether the truck was undergoing regular maintenance, and what material it was carrying. All these factors are analyzed during the lawsuit by victim’s attorney.
These law cases are often complicated because most of the times, it is not just the negligence of either party that causes such unfortunate situations to occur, but ensuring that there was compliance with the DOT requirements comes into play. Proving the trucking company is liable may be a challenging affair.
That is when a truck accident law firm comes in. These firms work on the behalf of victims and their family and devise a strategy aimed at obtaining their clients compensation from the trucking company.
Lawyers obtain the necessary documents such as log books of the driving history to find out the faulty areas that could be used against the wrongdoers. They know how to approach the matter and attack the lawsuit from a variety of angles to ensure that every path for compensation is fully examined.
It is not possible to know when an accident is going to happen, nor is it plausible to undo it, especially if the accident happens to involve something as big as a truck. However, the law does have provisions aimed at safeguarding the sufferers financially, so that the family of the victim does not suffer from financial crisis due to huge hospital bills that follow the treatment.
Victims of truck accidents must file a lawsuit against those accountable for the mishap. The lawsuit may bring some justice to the victim, by at least getting the individual injured by the truck accident and their family some financial compensation.
All the trucking companies are legally required to maintain logs of their truck’s driving history. The records are however destroyed after some time. Delayed action against the company or the driver of the vehicle can result in the company destroying the records leaving behind no proof that could be used in the favor of those injured by truck.
Truck owners are required to maintain such records because these giant vehicles are capable of setting into motion a series of catastrophic events. While the driver itself is not likely to get injured because of the height and massive size of the truck, other people can sustain incurable wounds and injuries, and even wind up losing lives.
If you hire a truck accident Injury Lawyer, the trucking lawyer will commence a trucking lawsuit against the company and via discovery obtain legal permit to investigate the entire scenario, and go through all the necessary details to arrive at a conclusion as to who is the real culprit. If the driver or anyone associated with the truck turns out to be the cause of mishap, the victims’ family may be compensated by them for the truck related injuries.
Filing a lawsuit is essential because if the victim has sustained major injuries in areas like brain, spine or bones fractured, it may completely disable the individual from going back to work. A lawsuit can be a ray of hope for such people.
Your lawyer will go through every single detail of the accident and collect as many evidences as possible to expedite the process and intensify the chances of you wining the case.
Lawsuits related to truck accidents can be quite complex, therefore seek the best possible help. Look for lawyers who can explain the process to you and who have a good reputation in the industry.
There are hundreds of rules and laws for road safety, yet thousands of mishaps occur every year. While different reasons are behind different accidents, there are a few, which cause most of the truck accidents. Here, we have enlisted four most common reasons behind truck accidents:
1. Exhaustion - Exhaustion is one of the most common reasons behind many truck accidents, especially when drives keep driving for longer periods, without taking any breaks. Regular and timely breaks are crucial to avoid such misfortunes. This can be on behalf of the truck driver or the car driver or both.
2. Vehicle inspection - Many truck accidents are avoidable by proper vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance. Sometimes a truck falls into disrepair in order to cut corners, save money, or just out of sheer laziness. Trucks are supposed to be routinely checked to see if they are up to code. It’s not just the law it’s about safety.
3. Being responsible - It is important for all drivers to realize that they need to stay professional and responsible while on the road. Hence, under no circumstance they should drive under the effects of alcohol or drugs or engage in any road rage.
4. Following the speed limit - There are speed limits for a reason. Each and every driver must follow the speed limits. It can surely prevent many dangerous incidents. Just because there is a time limit to get the load from one place to another doesn’t mean one should rush. The modest financial incentive to do things quicker should be outweighed by the greater financial and psychological burden of causing an accident and a permanent truck injury to someone.
5. Tailgating – Always keep a proper distance away from the other vehicles which allows time to react in case something unexpected occurs.
What if someone meets a bad fate, and gets hit by a truck?
There are many rights in the law that gives you protection. To know and use these laws, you need an attorney by your side. To get reliable help after such an incident, you need to look for trucks accidents law firms immediately. There are certain things that need to be done to check for all available coverage and insurance, make sure you are receiving medical attention and deal with mounting medical bills. Also, sometimes you need an expert right away to inspect the truck and the scene of the accident.
Find a lawyer who could understand your situation, and could assist you with appropriate advice and compensation after an accident involving a truck. Apart from medical bills, lost salary and insurance claims, there are many different damages a lawyer can seek on your behalf.
Safety should be the first and highest priority of every truck driver on road. They should stay alert and focused whenever they are behind the wheel, but when they do not follow these measures, accidents can and will happen.
Whenever a truck accident takes place, it poses more threats of physical injuries (even death) as compared to any other accident. The main reason behind this is the momentum and heavy weight of these large massed vehicles. The heavier the mass, the harder it is to stop and thus a crash leaves a far worse effect on the sufferer than other accidents.
A truck accident does not just bring physical injuries, but can also lead to financial crisis for the victim, as they will have to bear all the medical bills and cannot attend to their work until they recover completely. Things can get even worst in few accidents, where the driver of the other vehicle has a permanent disability as a result of the hard impact.
In case you or anyone you know has been through such a misfortune, you should consult a truck accident injury lawyer and seek legal help. It is a way to hold accountable the culprits responsible for the accident and obtain some modicum of justice. An experienced lawyer can do a detailed investigation, collect all the required evidences, and build a strong case for you. If everything is done properly, generally you will receive an appropriate compensation that will cover all the medial bills you have paid, and also compensate you for the days you could not go to work and for your pain and suffering and other damages. In case the victim is the earning member of the family, and if he has endured permanent disability, suitable compensation may be obtained to ask for loss of income.
Lawyers at truck accident law firms understand the pain of truck accident victims and that is why they try to recover considerable compensation commensurate with the injuries. The lawyers do not charge a fee up front and are only paid if they win your case. They spend their time and money investigating the lawsuit and if for some reason the case loses you don’t owe a dime. There’s no downside to consulting with an accident lawyer who handles these cases as the call is free and confidential. The sooner you obtain counsel, generally the better the chances are for your case since your counsel can work on obtaining and preserving evidence before it is destroyed.
