According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 72 percent of semi truck accidents were fatal in 2014. Tractor-trailers are said to be one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Here are seven semi truck accident questions you should know to help you gain a greater understanding of these accidents and how to avoid them.
There are many different causes of semi truck accidents and the damages and injuries they cause. The two biggest reasons are due to the weight and stopping distance.
Big trucks such as 18-wheelers, coal trucks, log trucks, cement trucks, tracker trailers, and buses all weight a significantly larger amount than a 3,000-pound passenger vehicle. On average, a motor vehicle weighs 2.5 tons, while a tractor-trailer can weigh 40 tons.
Another reason for serious damages after a semi truck accident is the amount of time it takes for these large trucks to stop. For example, if a semi truck or tractor-trailer was traveling at 40 mph and started to brake the exact same moment as a standard vehicle, it would take the semi truck 45 feet longer to come to a complete stop. A passenger vehicle needs about 306 feet to stop after braking while a tractor-trailer needs about 525 feet.
Statistics found by a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported the following:
Other common reasons for semi truck accidents including the following:
Truck drivers are trained to be excellent drivers. However, they do work long hours and can be tired at the wheel. Here are some tips to stay safe while driving near a semi truck and avoid a semi truck accident.
Often times clients involved in a semi truck accident will mistakenly believe their case will be handled much like any other car accident. However, this is not true. In fact, common passenger vehicle accidents are very different from 18-wheeler accidents. Here are some ways in which semi truck accidents differ from car accident cases.
Due to the amount of time semi trucks are on the road as well as the size, nature, and movement of an 18-wheeler, semi truck companies will typically carry 50 times more coverage than an average passenger vehicle. This amount of coverage is necessary to cover the extensive damages and injuries incurred from a semi truck accident.
The worth of an insurance policy for a semi truck can be worth millions. This is exactly why the insurance carrier will often times do almost anything to find a way out of being liable for the accident. This is also why you need an experienced, trusted and aggressive attorney from Parke Gordon Law Firm fighting for your rights.
Because of the nature of a semi truck driver, they are typically governed by hundreds of more regulations than a typical passenger vehicle. These regulations include the maintenance of the semi, the driver’s license and qualifications of the driver, annual inspections and logbooks.
Truck accidents are often more involved cases because of these regulations. For example, hiring a personal injury attorney as soon as possible following a semi truck accident is critical for your case. Semi truck companies are required by federal law to keep documents about their trucks and their drivers but after a period of time, they may destroy those documents.
When an 80,000-pound semi truck hits a 3,000-pound car, obviously the damages are going to be extensive. Injuries from a semi truck accident are often much more severe than injuries incurred from a car vs. car accident. Although many trucking companies will carry large insurance policies to cover such damages, the effects of such serious injuries are often still life-changing if not deadly.
Along with the damage to your vehicle, you may also be facing expensive medical bills. Parke Gordon Law Firm can help. Our experienced attorneys will help you deal with the insurance companies, medical bills, lost wages, and property damages resulting from a semi truck accident. We will fight for every penny you are owed. Call (208) 322-7274 now for a free consultation.
Due to the large size and weight of semi trucks, being hit is often times deadly. In fact, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), about 3,000 to 5,000 fatal semi truck accidents happen each year. These wrongful deaths are all too common. If your loved one has been killed due to the negligence of a semi truck driver, contact Parke Gordon Law Firm immediately.
A person injured in a truck accident is entitled to recover a number of different types of damages, categorized as either economic or non-economical or special or general. Many people settle for much less than they could recover from the trucking company or its insurance company because they did not hire an attorney and do not know what types of damages are available to a truck accident victim. Our experienced semi truck lawyers can build your case by employing experts to investigate liability, produce life care plans, economic analysis, and make a vocational rehabilitation assessment to maximize the value of the damages you are entitled to recover.
Never hesitate and never wait to hire an experienced personal injury attorney when you have been involved in an accident with a semi-truck. Semi truck companies are required by federal law to keep documents about their trucks and drivers but after a period of time, they may destroy those documents. You need to hire a semi truck lawyer immediately after a truck accident who can preserve evidence that can be used to demonstrate that the trucking company and its driver were negligent. An attorney can protect your rights by sending a special letter called a spoliation letter to the trucking company. After receipt of the letter, the trucking company will be forced to preserve the documents. If the documents show a pattern of willful and reckless behavior, you may be entitled to recover punitive damages.
The semi truck accident attorneys or tractor trailer accident lawyers of Parke Gordon Law Firm in Boise can usually tell you over the phone if you have a good case. Don’t wait to call a truck accident attorney doing so could hurt your case. Call our law office in Boise now at (208) 322-7274 for a free case review. We can help take the stress out of the claim and make sure you get every penny you are owed. Parke Gordon Law Firm offers a free consultation to discuss your truck accident case. The clients who have chosen our law firm love us and we think you will too. Take a minute to read over some of our client reviews to see the dedication of our semi truck accident attorneys.
Call us and tell us what happened in your accident and we’ll let you know if you have a good case. From here we can make plans to move forward.
We work with your medical providers to ensure you get the treatment you need and your bills are addressed. We’ll obtain witness statements, police records, and other documentation necessary to get you a top-dollar settlement.
We’ve won thousands of settlements for clients so we know what your case is worth. We will negotiate a settlement for you and we will not stop fighting until we get every penny you deserve.
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