Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers
Semi-trucks are an integral part of our shipping and commerce systems. They transport billions of tons of goods shipped and delivered using ground transport, also known as surface transportation. Certainly, the hard work put in by the drivers has to be appreciated. Unfortunately, from time to time, there is a truck accident. When it comes to accidents with these big rigs, the results are rarely minor; rather, too often they result in a fatal accident. Over the last decade, consumers are purchasing more and more products on the internet. This results in the need to ship more products, which is typically a combination of air and trucking. Trucking companies and drivers are under more and greater pressure to meet deadlines and quotas. Because there is increased trucking traffic, combined with an increase in vehicles on our highways, the result has been thousands of truck-related accidents every year, and those problems are equipment failure and driver fault. Sometimes semi-truck equipment fails. Big rig trucks can weigh tens of thousands of pounds, and to get that weight moving and stopping safely can place the tractor-trailer and its components under great strain. Here are some examples of things that can go wrong: More on this website
* Tire blow-up – some of these semi-trucks have up to 18 wheels (and in the case of double trailers, even more (up to 22-4 wheels), but that doesn’t mean they are entirely safe from tire failure. Even a temporary off-balancing effect can have serious consequences, resulting in unexpected load shifting or rolling.
* Load shift – if a truckload is not secured or tied down correctly, or if the load weight is not evenly distributed, it creates an unbalanced load prone to shift. A load typically weighs thousands of pounds. When it shifts, it strains the tractor-trailer’s overall balance, causing the driver to lose control.
* Improper maintenance and inspection – rigs have complex engines and parts that must be able to handle big loads. If maintenance and inspections are negligent, then equipment failure may occur.
* Brake failure – the braking system for a semi-truck is one of the truck driver’s most critical safety and control features at his disposal. Bringing freight to a stop requires an increased time and distance. The stopping procedure can be compromised if the brakes are not performing optimally.
Semi-truck driver negligent highway driving is dangerous enough, and every motorist feels some unease when driving alongside a big rig truck. The semi-trucks large size, rumbling engine, and air pressure release sound signal that this is a large and dangerous vehicle. If the truck driver fails to drive carefully, the results are often catastrophic. While there are many instances of truck driver error that arise under the circumstances, here are some more common examples:
* Aggressive driving – ever feel like you are in a cat and mouse game with a semi-truck on the road? Well, you may have a legitimate fear. Because many truck drivers are under tremendous stress related to delivery time, tractor-trailer drivers may act aggressively, using the 18-wheeler as a deadly instrument to show who’s boss of the road.
* Truck driver errors – the truck drivers may make an error in judgment, cut a corner too thin, improperly overtake another vehicle, or make too wide a turn. Even if a negligent act was nothing more than a simple error, the consequences are not akin to a fender bender; instead, the size and weight of the semi-truck make even the slightest mistake a potential catastrophe.
* Driver inattention – whether talking on the cell phone or texting while driving, looking at a map, or using a GPS device, truck driver distraction can lead to a serious truck crash.
* Driver fatigue – while truck drivers are regulated at the federal and state level regarding their break time, many pass on their required breaks to meet their time-sensitive delivery schedules. This leads to a tired, unalert driver, which, in turn, often leads to a trucking accident.
Contact an experienced accident attorney.
Victims of semi-truck accidents rarely escape with minor injuries; if they are fortunate enough to survive, they often face a lifetime of challenges, including severe burn injury, spinal cord injury, head injury, amputation, and traumatic brain injury. The medical expenses and rehabilitation bills associated with these serious personal injuries are higher than many families earn in a lifetime. In a serious truck crash involving severe personal injury or wrongful death, take a moment to consider your family’s financial security. Contact us to explore your options. You may be eligible for significant compensation, also known as monetary damages. We may be able to help you take the next steps of securing justice as well as helping your family ensure its future financial stability in the face of all you have lost. Remember, the earlier you contact an experienced accident attorney at our office, the faster we can begin the investigation and gather the evidence to move the case forward quickly, to seek just results.