Injured by a faulty floor jack

Questions And Answers About Trucking Accidents

23 March 2016

Mia Little

Trucking accidents that result in a fatality occur about 11 times per day in the United States. In fact, accidents involving commercial trucks result in about 4,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries annually.  Here are a few questions and answers about trucking accidents:

Why are truck drivers often involved in automotive accidents?

Truckers spend a great amount of time on the road. In some cases, they may operate large rigs while sleep-deprived. There are regulations that govern or limit the amount of time that a trucker can drive before stopping for rest. However, these regulations still allow for long periods of driving, and a trucker's level of awareness may decline during that period.

In addition, the weight of cargo in a truck bed can alter a truck's ability to stop. In addition, large 18-wheeler trucks are not able to maneuver as easily as smaller vehicles are.

Statistics show that over 170,000 truckers were removed from service for exceeding the allowable limit for trucking violations. In addition, over two million vehicles were removed from service after having too many violations.  

If you are injured due to a trucking collision but some of your injuries occur due to the type of cargo that was being transported, can you sue multiple parties for the same accident?

Multiple parties can be sued for the same trucking accident. For instance, if the trucking company that hired the trucker does not adhere to truck regulations, the company may be sued along with the truck driver who was at fault in the incident. If the driver is carrying hazardous materials that cause you injury, the shipper of the material could be liable. This is especially the case if the driver of the truck was not aware that the material is hazardous or if the material was not properly contained during transport.

If you are involved in an 18-wheeler accident, are you automatically able to recover damages?

If you are involved in an accident with a large truck, you are only likely to recover damages if the truck driver was at fault in the incident. The driver's negligence is important in a trucking accident settlement. If the driver was not careless in his or her actions and an accident occurred, the chance of you being awarded a settlement declines.

If you are injured in a trucking accident, schedule a consultation with a truck accident attorney in your area. Most trucking accident attorneys offer initial consultations free of charge. Speak to a local lawyer or click here for info.

Share

Search