Commercial trucks such as box trucks, delivery vans, dump trucks and flatbed trucks do a lot of damage when they crash into lightweight cars. The difference in size and weight between one of these enormous vehicles and a smaller vehicle can destroy the smaller vehicle and kill or severely injures its passengers.
In most situations, these truck wrecks could have been avoided. When truckers and the companies that employ them don’t obey federal trucking regulations and traffic laws, serious accidents often follow. Many commercial vehicle crashes are caused by fatigue, distraction, and improper truck maintenance.
At the Sloan Firm, we hold truckers and trucking companies responsible for their negligent and careless behavior. If you or someone you love was injured in this type of accident, we invite you to contact a Texas truck accident attorney at our firm in Longview, Houston or Santa Fe to discuss your case in a free consultation.
Why You Should Choose the Sloan Firm for Your Commercial Truck Crash Case
We have seen firsthand the damage that truck accidents can cause. Throughout our firm’s history, we have handled a number of severe commercial truck accident cases. We fight hard for victims of commercial truck accidents.
Those who survive a collision with a commercial vehicle often sustain very serious injuries. Examples include spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, fractures and loss of limbs. These injuries may change the lives of the victims, lower the quality of life, ruin lifelong goals, and possibly make independent living impossible. The weight of medical expenses just adds to that burden.
What matters to you matters to us, and we will fight for you so that you are able to seek relief from the damages caused by the accident. The legal issues involved in a truck accident are generally more complicated, but we have years of experience navigating those issues for our clients.
What Makes Commercial Truck Accidents Different from Other Vehicle Accidents
Commercial vehicle accidents are often different from other accidents. That’s because of the parties involved and the risk for higher damages, which increases the liability and may mean more money is on the line.
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, there may be multiple defendants for your case. For instance, besides just the truck driver and their employer, the insurance carrier for the driver or company may have an obligation to cover some of the costs from the accident. The truck or parts manufacturer may be responsible for a faulty part or a malfunction. Those responsible for truck maintenance may not have adequately inspected the truck. Any of those individuals or companies may potentially be added as defendants.
Federal laws and regulations applying to the trucking industry mean that the legal issues are more complex than just finding fault for the accident among the drivers. If the truck driver or their employer was not observing regulations governing working conditions, load restrictions, rest times, etc., then the driver and/or their employer may be on the hook for more than just the actual damages from the accident.
Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents
One of the most common causes of a commercial truck accident is a fatigued driver. Rules and regulations have been put in place in an effort to reduce the number of truck drivers who are driving tired.
Other truck accident causes include neglected maintenance, improperly loaded cargo, and careless or aggressive driving. If a truck is poorly maintained, especially the tires or brakes, it could result in a wreck. If the truck has a load that is not properly secured or is too large for the truck, the truck may become unstable and crash.
A truck driver who is speeding, violating traffic laws, driving aggressively or driving unsafely in violation of federal regulations is also more likely to cause a wreck.
Types of Compensation Available for Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents
A commercial truck, such as a dump truck, delivery truck or box truck, generally does a lot of damage when it crashes into another vehicle. Your injuries from a crash involving a commercial truck may impact your daily life and your future in a significant way. It may be that you can no longer keep the same job or occupation that you had because of your injuries, or perhaps your injuries will affect your relationships. You may need assistance with tasks that you were previously able to do on your own, or you may experience chronic pain or permanent disability.
The compensation available for your injuries is designed to lighten the financial burden of the effects of the accident. Types of compensation available generally include:
- Property damage
- Medical expenses
- Therapy
- Lost income and earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Other physical, financial and emotional harm
- Wrongful death
What to Do After a Crash
If you have been in a crash with a commercial motor vehicle, you may have serious or life-threatening injuries and will need to seek immediate medical attention for your injuries. If that is the case, you can contact the police afterwards to get a case report and number.
If you are fortunate enough to not have injuries that require immediate medical attention, get the contact info and insurance info for anyone else involved in the accident, and for any bystander who may have seen what happened, along with the police report and incident number.
Recording evidence can be useful in establishing fault and liability. Take pictures of the scene and write down what happened as soon as possible, since your memory may not retain all of the details as time goes on.
Contact your insurance company to report the incident. However, do not give any insurance company a recorded or written statement until you talk to an experienced truck accident attorney at the Sloan Firm.
There is limited time to seek damages in for a commercial vehicle accident. Don’t wait to contact the Sloan Firm to help you get the compensation you deserve. We will do the heavy lifting for you so you can rest and recover from your injuries.
How Our Firm Helps Commercial Truck Accident Victims
The Sloan Firm is here to make sure that commercial vehicle accident victims get the legal representation they need. We are here for you.
We have attorneys available to help you in East Texas and in Santa Fe, New Mexico. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today for a free and confidential evaluation of your commercial vehicle accident.