Truck Accident Attorney in USA
Types of Truck Accidents
Any type of truck accident can be extremely dangerous because the commercial vehicle is much larger than your car. The most common type of truck accident is A rear-end collision when the truck strikes you from behind. It takes a considerable amount of time and distance for the truck driver to come to a complete stop, and even a split second delay can cause a serious accident.
Other types of truck accidents include:
- Rollover accidents: A sudden braking or the lack of centering gravity can cause the truck to rollover, striking cars in the way or causing vehicles to run into the truck
- Jackknife crashes: The cab and the trailer could end up at different angles, causing the tractor to swing out and hit other cars on the road
- Blindspot accidents
- Illegal turns
- Cargo falling off the truck
In general, the truck driver is under a significant amount of pressure to make deliveries on time. They may not pay full attention to safety because their own bosses and the customer place them under time constraints. At the same time, truck drivers may not be fully trained or have the experience necessary to focus on safety. The end result is that trucking companies end up cutting corners, and it comes at the expense of your safety.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
Here are the steps to follow if you are involved in a collision:
Call the police
Seek immediate medical attention
Gather information from all parties involved, including their names, addresses, and license numbers
Take pictures and videos of the scene
Write down the contact information of any eyewitnesses
Do not take responsibility for the crash
Hire a truck wreck lawyer
Truck Accident Lawyers
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), there were approximately 13,479,382 registered trucks in the U.S. in 2020. Every day, thousands of these trucks travel across states all over the U.S. to transport consumer goods and other items. With many weighing over 80,000 pounds (or 40 tons), collisions with cars that weigh only roughly 3,000 pounds can be disastrous.
.Table of Contents
Types of Truck Accidents
Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck Drivers and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
What to Do After a Truck Accident
What to Do in the Days Following a Truck Accident
How Are Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help?
How Much Compensation Can I Get After a Truck Wreck?
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney for Legal Representation
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Accidents between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks are usually catastrophic and often result in death. These wrecks are typically complex since they may involve several liable parties and various insurance companies.
Truck accidents, including those involving semis, 18-wheelers, rental trucks, and dump trucks, typically involve higher potential damages. The variety of factors that come into play with truck accidents means that every truck wreck case is unique. This is why you should speak to an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
Over the past four decades, the catastrophic injury attorneys at Nix Patterson have been helping truck wreck victims recover the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers have witnessed the devastation these accidents can cause to injured victims and their loved ones. We are prepared to aggressively push for the maximum compensation that covers all your expenses and future needs.
Types of Truck Accidents
Any type of truck accident can be extremely dangerous because the commercial vehicle is much larger than your car. The most common type of truck accident is A rear-end collision when the truck strikes you from behind. It takes a considerable amount of time and distance for the truck driver to come to a complete stop, and even a split second delay can cause a serious accident.
Other types of truck accidents include:
Rollover accidents: A sudden braking or the lack of centering gravity can cause the truck to rollover, striking cars in the way or causing vehicles to run into the truck
Jackknife crashes: The cab and the trailer could end up at different angles, causing the tractor to swing out and hit other cars on the road
Blindspot accidents
Illegal turns
Cargo falling off the truck
No matter the type of truck accident,you may be entitled to financial compensation when you prove that the truck driver was negligent.
Causes of Truck Accidents
In 2019, 5,005 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks. Around 71% (3,544) of the people killed in these truck collisions were occupants of other vehicles. During the same year, an estimated 159,000 people were injured in accidents involving large trucks.
In general, the truck driver is under a significant amount of pressure to make deliveries on time. They may not pay full attention to safety because their own bosses and the customer place them under time constraints. At the same time, truck drivers may not be fully trained or have the experience necessary to focus on safety. The end result is that trucking companies end up cutting corners, and it comes at the expense of your safety. You may have nothing to do with the trucking Company’s profit motive, but you are the one who ends up paying the price with your well-being.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a report after analyzing hundreds of factors that led to truck wrecks. According to the FMCSA, brake problems and traffic flow interruptions were the leading causes of large truck accidents.
Other causes of truck wrecks include:
Driver fatigue
Distracted driving, particularly texting while driving
Alcohol and drugs
Roadway problems
Reckless driving
Inexperience
Improper cargo loading
Speeding
Poor training and maintenance
Aggressive driving
After an accident, a good truck accident lawyer can help you identify what led to your crash. An attorney can gather and analyze evidence, including the truck’s black box data and phone call records, to identify the cause of the accident while you and your family focus on recovery and healing.
Truck Drivers and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
There is an extensive body of federal regulations that trucking companies must follow as a condition for doing business. These regulations govern practically every aspect of the trucking company’s business. Trucking companies could be fined if they are subject to an inspection and are found not to have followed the rules.
From your standpoint, you may be able to prove negligence when you can show that the trucking company broke one of the rules. In personal injury law, there is a concept called negligence per se that holds that a specific act can be negligent by the mere fact that it happened. This principle applies when the wrongful act that caused a truck accident was in violation of the law.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
Here are the steps to follow if you are involved in a collision:
Call the police
Seek immediate medical attention
Gather information from all parties involved, including their names, addresses, and license numbers
Take pictures and videos of the scene
Write down the contact information of any eyewitnesses
Do not take responsibility for the crash
Hire a truck wreck lawyer
Of course, you can always call us for guidance through this process after you have called the police and received medical attention.
What to Do in the Days Following a Truck Accident
The actions you take in the days and weeks following an accident can significantly affect your claim. Here’s what you should do or what we will help you do when you call us:
Get a police report of your crash
Get your vehicle appraised
Keep track of all your medical treatments and doctor visits
Track all your out-of-pocket expenses
Keep track of all your missed work days
Keep a journal of how you feel or your experiences, like if you are having trouble sleeping or if you are having panic attacks after the incident
Do not post about the incident on social media
Do not talk to the other drivers’ insurance companies
Do not accept an offer without talking to a truck accident lawyer
It is essential that you avoid any mistakes that can harm your claim, and hiring a truck accident lawyer is the best way to avoid a critical error.
How Are Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?
Commercial truck wrecks differ from car wrecks in various ways. First, not only does a truck weigh roughly 20 times as much as a passenger car, but federal and state governments also require trucks to follow stricter rules. For example, according to hours of service regulations, property-carrying truck drivers may drive for a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours of rest. This safety rule is meant to prevent tired drivers from operating these potentially deadly trucks on open roads.
Here are other ways these two types of accidents differ:
Injuries are usually more severe in truck accidents
Insurance policies are larger for the commercial trucking industry
Multiple parties may be liable, including the truck driver, the cargo loading company, the truck owner, parts manufacturers, and the maintenance crew
There is a likelihood of higher damages
The fact that a commercial truck far outweighs a passenger vehicle means that a significant amount of force will be unleashed on your car in a truck accident. The sheer size of the truck makes it much more difficult for the operator to stop the vehicle in time. Then, the weight disparity between the truck and your car means that all of the force will be transferred to you.
Then, the legal process may also be different in a truck accident. While the operative principle of negligence still applies to your case, you can expect a far more difficult time getting the money that you deserve because your compensation would likely be higher. The size of your settlement is tied to your injuries, and the insurance company does not want to fully pay you.
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help?
Every truck accident case is different. This is why you need an experienced semi-truck accident lawyer to build a compelling case to present to the insurance carrier or a jury in court. You can expect a reputable truck accident law firm to:
Investigate and collect evidence, including police reports, black box data, expert testimony, eyewitness statements, and photographic evidence from the scene.
Compile your medical records and expenses to prove your losses.
Hire medical experts to determine what your healthcare needs will be in the future.
Identify all liable parties in your truck wreck case.
Send demand letters to the at-fault party’s insurance companies.
Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
File a lawsuit for you but continue efforts to negotiate a settlement.
Take the case to trial if need be.
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