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TRUCKING ACCIDENT INJURIES
Any kind of automobile accident has the potential to cause serious injuries or even fatalities. But though auto accidents can be bad no matter the sizes of vehicles involved, trucking accidents are particularly dangerous, and usually for the occupants of other vehicles involved rather than truck drivers.
That’s simply because large trucks – classified by federal data sets as any medium or heavy truck with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds that isn’t a bus or motorhome – are cumbersome, difficult to drive, and very dangerous for almost any other car to impact.
At the time of this writing, large trucks currently account for 9% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes, yet only represent 4% of all registered vehicles. Thus, it’s clear that trucking accidents are more common than they should be.
TRUCKING ACCIDENTS – A SERIOUS CAUSE OF INJURIES
Due to both their prevalence and the size of the vehicles involved, trucking accidents are often a serious cause for injuries across America. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicates, for instance, that there were 176,000 people injured in large truck and bus crashes in 2018 alone.
In 2018, there were additionally 112,000 large trucks involved in crashes that resulted in at least one type of injury. This was a 5% increase from 2017, indicating that the incidence of trucking accidents is going up rather than down despite a focus on increased safety and trucking industry regulation.
More seriously, 2018 saw almost 5000 people die in large truck crashes just that year. This was a 46% increase since 2009, where only nearly 3400 people died in large truck crashes. This all goes to show that the likelihood of encountering a large truck accident may be more common than you think.
Since trucking accidents can cause severe injuries, victims should try to contact skilled legal assistants. Truck accident attorneys can help them press an effective lawsuit and receive the compensation they need to recover from their injuries.
Fast Facts About Trucking Accidents
- The majority of trucking accidents occur during the day between noon and 3 PM
- Large trucks are included in 74% of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents
- There’s been a 52% increase in large trucking accidents since 2009
- 2018 saw 4862 large trucks involved in a fatal crash
WHY DO TRUCKING ACCIDENTS OCCUR?
The trucking industry is rife with overworked employees and employers willing to risk it all just to make another shipment.
Due to the skill required to drive semi-trucks and other large motor vehicles safely, drivers must get adequate sleep and rest. However, this doesn’t always occur – indeed, data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrationindicates that 32% of large truck fatal crashes were affected by at least one driver-related factor in 2018.
In other words, a plurality of large truck crashes occurred due to things like inattention on the part of the driver, not wearing a seatbelt, or similar factors.
Trucking companies are often more concerned with getting shipments to their locations on time rather than affording their employees enough time to rest between driving sessions. Furthermore, there’s some evidence that truck maintenance may be ignored even when it could matter for safety. More data indicates that tire defects actually account for 30% of all truck-related accidents.
INJURIES FROM TRUCKING ACCIDENTS
Because large semi-trucks and similar vehicles are so massive, they carry with them the potential for serious injuries or even fatalities when they’re involved in crashes. While any motor vehicle accident can be deadly or seriously injuring, trucking accidents are particularly risky. Common injuries include:
- Serious broken bones or fractures
- TBIs or traumatic brain injuries
- Disability or paralysis, particularly if the spine is injured
- Road rash or other skin injuries
- Loss of limbs or functionality
- And more
More commonly, individuals in other vehicles are seriously hurt whenever they impact a large truck. Smaller sedans or even SUVs do not provide adequate protection against the weight and momentum that a large semi-truck can bring to bear in any kind of motor accident.
Because these injuries are so severe, victims are often left with no choice but to pursue compensation by suing the at-fault party. But trucking accident cases can be complex since different states have different “fault laws” regarding motor accident lawsuits. This is just one more reason why having skilled trucking accident attorneys on your side could be the difference between winning the case and getting the compensation you need or losing.
COMPENSATION FROM TRUCKING ACCIDENT INJURIES
Ultimately, the compensation from a successful trucking accident lawsuit can vary dramatically based on factors like:
- How “at-fault” the guilty party really is or what proportion of negligence is applied to both parties
- How severe the injuries were
- Where the accident took place
- And more
However, excellent trucking accident lawyers can help their clients to acquire compensation to help them pay for their medical bills and cover other expenses. Common awards are given to victims to compensate for things like:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Loss of income if the victim cannot return to work now or for the future
- Compensation for physical and mental pain and suffering
- Vompensation for loss of ability if the injuries resulted in some form of paralysis
CONTACT TRUSTED LAWYERS FOR TRUCKING ACCIDENT INJURIES
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a trucking accident, t’s crucial that you look for highly-skilled legal experts to help you with any potential lawsuit. It’s the only way to guarantee you the best possible results and the highest compensation upon victory.
Fortunately, organizations like Law Leaders are dedicated to help trucking accident victims find knowledgeable and dedicated lawyers perfect for your needs. As a network of licensed attorneys, Law Leaders is available to provide you with the service and support you need to reach the optimal outcome during a trucking accident case.
Be sure to contact us today for more information. CALL: 1-800-LAW-LEADERS (1-800-529-5323) now to get started!