Need Legal Help After a Heavy Truck Accident? Get Professional Assistance Now.
According to National Highway transportation safety Authority, approximately 5,601 fatalities happened in 2021 in heavy truck accidents. In its latest traffic fatalities estimation report, the fatality ratio has increased by 13% compared to the last year. The injuries from a heavy truck accident are often very substantial. Are you dealing with the aftermath of a heavy truck accident? Get the legal help you need.
Our experienced heavy truck accident lawyer at Royce Injury can fight for your rights. Contact us today for a free case evaluation!
Why heavy truck accidents are more complicated than those involving light trucks?
The massive size of heavy trucks and the collateral damage they cause when they collide with the vehicle makes total damage evaluation very challenging for heavy truck attorneys. They have to analyze heavy truck accidents videos to analyze how many cars are hit and other relevant damage in heavy truck accidents. Due to this fact, establishing liability becomes very challenging because of the involvement of various parties, and it is difficult to pinpoint exactly who is going to pay the compensation without proper evaluation of the available evidence. It may take time, resources, expertise, connections, and efficiency to deal with insurance companies, government agencies, individuals, police, eyewitnesses, medical practitioners, trucking companies, vehicle manufacturers, etc. For this reason, only an experienced heavy truck accident lawyer is qualified to navigate such challenging aspects of heavy truck accidents compared to accidents involving light trucks.
What causes heavy truck accidents?
The most common causes of heavy truck accidents are;
Distracted driving: Multitasking such as texting, changing clothes, video calling, drinking water or beverages, eating, etc, are some of the activities that take the driver’s attention off the road and cause a collision with heavy trucks and other cars. According to FMCSA, 2,871 fatalities happening in heavy truck accidents result from distracted driving.
Rash or reckless driving: Speeding way above the prescribed limits is the most common behavior observed in teenagers and young drivers. This kind of reckless driving often results in crashes with heavy trucks and other cars. An estimated 29% of heavy truck crashes happened by reckless or rash diving.
Driving under the influence of alcohol: Drunk driving is also a main cause of the majority of heavy truck accidents. FMCSA estimated approximately 6% of heavy truck collisions by DUI.
Drowsy driving: Most heavy truck drivers crash into other vehicles because they have not slept enough. Truck drivers have a legal obligation to maintain a log book in which they keep a record of their working hours. Anyone violation found in those log books can be presented as evidence to establish liability against the trucking company or the driver in an injury lawsuit. Approximately 21% of heavy truck crashes are drowsy driving accidents.
Extreme weather conditions: Low visibility in winter, snow storms, heavy rains, floods, road cracks, stray animals, etc, are also some of the main causes of heavy truck accidents.
Which parties may be legally responsible for a heavy truck accident?
The heavy truck accident lawyer analyzes the circumstances in which the accident happened to determine who is liable to pay compensation to the victims of a heavy truck accident. There are several parties involved in the liability issue, and often there is more than one respondent in an injury claim. These parties may involve
- Truck driver
- The trucking company and the truck loaders are companies responsible for shipping
- The companies were responsible for manufacturing the trucks
- Truck maintenance companies
- Government agencies responsible for the maintenance of roads, signboards, or weather alerts
- Any other party
What to do after a heavy truck accident?
After a heavy truck accident, you will need a trusted truck accident lawyer to navigate the crucial steps of gathering the evidence, estimating compensation, negotiating with insurance companies, drafting a demand letter and other relevant paperwork to make your case, and legally representing you in the injury court. Royce injury has a splendid track of injury litigation, and there is nothing our personal injury lawyers haven’t dealt with before. Our injury lawyers have extensive experience to address the challenges that may arise from issues such as sovereign immunity, extraction of crucial documents from governmental departments, and similar challenging tasks. Consult our heavy truck injury attorneys to get an insight into the available options. An offer from the insurance company is not your only option if you have a good chance of winning better compensation from the injury court.
If you have suffered injuries in a heavy truck accident, you can turn to our lawyers at Royce Injury. We offer a free initial evaluation of your case and provide step-by-step guidance on how we will proceed with your case so you can successfully win the compensation you deserve.
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