This Guide examines several issues unique to trucking accidents, and attempts to explain several causes and outcomes of accidents involving larger vehicles.
1
What Kinds of Damages Can I Recover in a Trucking Accident
If you have been injured in a collision with a truck, you may be entitled to a cash settlement for your medical bills, property damage, pain and suffering, lost earnings, lost future earning capacity, loss of consortium and other expenses. However, if you are not represented by an attorney, the insurance companies will try to take advantage of you. You need aggressive legal representation on your side to make it a fair fight.
2
How Common Are Trucking Accidents?
An estimated 15.5 million trucks operate in the United States. Of theses trucks, 1.9 million are tractor trailers. Truck accidents are more likely to lead to serious injuries or fatalities than passenger vehicle accidents due to the sheer mass of the vehicles involved. In 2003, there were 58,512 total vehicle accidents resulting in fatalities in the U.S. Of these, 4,669 involved large trucks. The majority of truck accidents resulting in fatalities took place in rural areas, during the daytime and on a weekday.
3
What Are Some Common Causes of Trucking Accidents?
The driver, trucking company, truck loading company, truck manufacturer or owner of the load being carried may be held liable. Therefore, numerous different insurance carriers and defendants may be involved, and the legal issues may be complex. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will provide you with the best legal representation available, so that you can stay focused on recovering from your injuries. Common truck accident causes include improperly or overly loaded trucks/trailers, disobeying safety procedures, speeding, vehicle inspection repair or maintenance failure, failure to yield the right of way, illegally parked trucks, alcohol or drug usage, driver error or fatigue, truck overturn or rollover, truck brake failure, or jackknifes.
4
What Unique Legal Issues Might Arise in a Trucking Accident Case?
Heavy truck drivers in California must have a valid class A drivers license. These drivers operate tractor-trailers that can be up to 75 feet long and weigh up to 20,000 pounds per axle. Because they operate large expensive equipment they are subject to special regulations by both the federal and state governments. Most trucks are insured under commercial policies, which typically have higher limits available to pay for the damage. Trucking laws are designed to make us safer on the road, but sometimes those laws are disregarded. Sometimes unrealistic scheduling by trucking agencies or companies cause truckers to break the law.
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