There are more than 70,000 commercial trucks registered in Georgia. That means we share our roads with many big rigs, including others from other states. With so many trucks on the road, accidents are inevitable from time to time. When an accident with a large truck happens, it can be devastating to the other driver and passengers. These types of crashes can be more difficult to resolve, and you may need some legal assistance before you try to settle a truck accident case.
Truck Accidents Can Be More Serious
Accidents with large trucks can be more damaging than other types of accidents. Trucks outweigh passenger vehicles by quite a bit. A large semi can weigh up to 84,000 pounds. That much weight can make an accident with a smaller vehicle extremely serious. Depending on the circumstances, a tractor-trailer may sustain little damage, while a car might be totaled. Internal injuries, broken bones, head trauma, and lacerations and contusions are just some of the many injuries that may occur as the result of a collision with a large truck.
Complex Causes of Truck Crashes
There are many potential causes of truck accidents. The causes of truck accidents are categorized into three main areas, including human error, mechanical failures, and outside issues. Human error includes such things as improper truck handling, insufficient training or experience, speeding, incorrect lane changes, distracted driving, driving while drowsy, and others. Generally, there are main causes of a truck accident along with contributing factors. For example, an inexperienced truck driver may be driving too fast and has to swerve away. This, in turn, shifts the load in the back of the truck, causing it to go off balance and flip onto its side, potentially onto another vehicle.
Trucking Industry Regulations
There are many rules and regulations that semi trucks must follow. Many of these regulations are overseen, in part, by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Rules are in place that limit the number of hours a driver may be on the road before they must take a sleep break. Drivers must utilize an electronic log system to log their hours. Loads must be properly secured and distributed in the vehicle. Drivers must have specific commercial driver’s licenses to operate a large commercial truck. There are many additional rules in place. Unfortunately, even with strict rules in place, truck accidents still happen.
Aggressive Defense
Trucking companies are often large, and they may have skilled legal teams and insurance agents in place specifically to handle accident claims. The trucking company may try to shift the blame away from the driver or the vehicle. Because truck accidents are so complex, you may need to conduct accident reconstruction. This allows you to determine the exact cause of the accident and what happened before, during, and after the incident. It is essential to gather critical information such as electronic data, cell phone information, and mechanical records to help determine negligence. A skilled legal team has the knowledge and resources to help you seek compensation from the negligent driver.