Jul 23, 2015 · But if you do have an accident with a big rig, what do you do? There are many things to consider starting with whose fault it is. An experienced attorney will look at the condition of the truck, the condition of the driver, and any possible negligent or criminal behavior. In Morgan’s case, the truck driver had been on the road from 11:20 AM ...
Nov 30, 2013 · Don’t be intimidated. If you’ve survived a wreck with a big rig, you’ve already been through one of the most terrifying situations imaginable. Don’t let the trucking company intimidate you. Remember, any time they contact you, just contact your lawyer. It’s okay to think of your law firm as your “muscle” in the legal sense. Lean on them if the trucking company is …
Jan 17, 2019 · One of the most common questions we get in big rig cases (and really any other) is “how can I help my own case?” If you’re up to it, one of the best things you can do is to document everything as much as possible in the wake of the accident. That means taking pictures of your vehicle, should you have been in a vehicle that was hit by a big rig.
Driving a big rig isn’t an easy job. It’s too easy to take these drivers for granted, and just assume that their jobs are robotic and mechanical. They aren’t. It’s hard work. For many of them, they’re driving incredibly long and difficult schedules.
The sooner in the process you can contact our lawyers, the sooner we can get to work on your case. That means getting our professionals out there to conduct a thorough investigation. From there, we can figure out the truth of exactly what happened in the case.
According to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 115,000 big rig accidents happened in 2017, a number which has steadily increased over the past several years. The following are the five most common causes:
Failing to adequately load and secure cargo can cause dangerous spills, which impact other motorists as well as the general public. Uneven loads can cause truckers to lose control and increase the risk of overturn accidents.
18-wheelers, tractor trailers, and other big rigs can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds. Tire blowouts, brake failures, and engine issues due to improper maintenance or defective truck parts can lead to catastrophic injuries.
Yes. A tractor truck with a trailer unit and/or a flatbed attached is known by several different names. Whether you call it a semi, big rig, 18-wheeler or tractor-trailer, they are all names for this large commercial truck.
Unfortunately, the number of big rig accidents has increased over the last few years. There were other disturbing trends as well. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
The damages (legal speak for the financial compensation) you are entitled to after a big rig accident depends on your injuries and the property damage you suffered. These accidents can leave victims with permanent injuries as well as lasting mental scars. And in many cases, victims are forced to miss work for weeks and months.
If a trucker caused a collision because of negligent behavior like fatigued or distracted driving or speeding, you could sue the driver. Because a truck driver is also usually responsible for inspecting the truck for maintenance and making sure cargo is loaded correctly, if a maintenance problem or cargo shift contributes to a truck accident, the trucker could be at least partly responsible for the incident.
If one of the truck parts fails (a tire blows out, the brakes fail, or a steering problem occurs, for example) the failure could be due to poor maintenance. Or, if the failed part or system was defective, you might be able to hold the manufacturer and distributor liable.
A lot can go wrong in the operation of a semi-trailer truck. Truck-driver error is the leading cause of car accidents with big rigs. Common scenarios involve (among others) driver fatigue, drug use, driver error, and equipment issues.
Controlled substances can have a similar impact. Federal regulations require trucking companies to test their drivers for alcohol and drug use as a condition of employment. Carriers also must conduct periodic random tests of drivers who are on duty, and test any driver involved in an accident involving a fatality.
Another common cause of truck accidents is equipment or mechanical failure. Manufacturing problems (like defective tires) or design errors (such as failing to provide backup warnings or object detection systems) can lead to crashes. Failure to properly maintain equipment can also lead to trucking accidents.
Federal trucking laws establish standards that carriers, owners, and drivers must meet, and often determine who's responsible for a trucking accident.
Federal trucking laws establish standards that carriers, owners, and drivers must meet, and often determine who's responsible for a trucking accident. For example, federal law limits the number of hours that drivers can work.