Our truck accident attorneys at Rozek Law carefully research the cause of your truck accident. But accidents with large trucks are more intricate cases than passenger cars cases. This is why you should hire an experienced law firm that has successfully represented victims of commercial truck accidents and has the means to determine what happened during your serious crash.
Many factors may contribute to the accident so we realize that identifying exactly what caused a truck accident could require an independent investigation by traffic reconstruction experts. Our firm works with reputable accident reconstruction experts to help build a solid case for full compensation from the insurance provider.
We will also obtain the cell phone records of the truck driver to determine if the driver was distracted at the time of the crash and we’ll analyze the driver logs and toll receipts to determine if the driver had been behind the wheel too long and likely had impaired alertness due to fatigue. We also review the maintenance records on the truck to determine if the truck company had serviced the brakes and other safety components of the vehicle per the schedule.
Because trucking companies are only required to keep maintenance records and driver logs for a certain period, hiring one of our lawyers quickly following the accident is crucial to avoid lost evidence. If you have been injured in a traffic crash with a large commercial truck or bus, it is best to consult with an experienced lawyer from our firm.
After a serious accident occurs, you should expect to be contacted by the insurance company representing the trucking company. In some cases, the accident victim or their representative may have to deal with different insurance companies representing the truck driver, trucking company and the cargo shipper.
You should understand that the insurance adjuster’s job is to protect their company’s profits and minimize the amount of money the company pays out in claims. Some insurance companies may assure the victim that an attorney is unnecessary but it’s important to have your own attorney represent you to prevent being taken advantage of.
Many truck accidents are caused by common driver errors. The truck driver may be speeding, driving too fast for the road conditions, tailgating, driving drowsy or inattentive to changing traffic conditions.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) large truck crash causation study analysis brief, these were the main factors associated with large truck collisions:
29% truck brake problems
23% Driver traveling too fast for conditions
22% Driver unfamiliar with the roadway
20% Roadway problems
17% Driver over the counter drug use
13% Driver Fatigue
Large trucks and other commercial vehicles have by far had the highest rate of involvement in deadly accidents. Passenger vehicle occupants are also far more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a truck accident than the driver of the truck. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) reports that of the 3,964 large truck crash fatalities in a recent year, only 17 percent were occupants (driver) of the large trucks, while 71 percent were occupants of other vehicles. In addition to the fatalities, 95,000 people were injured in large truck collisions that year, 72 percent of which were occupants of other vehicles.