Semi trucks, 18-wheelers, whatever name they go by they are the largest vehicles on the road and they are mostly traveling at highway speeds. With that much weight and speed, an accident with a big truck is more likely to result in serious and horrible injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration there were over 37,000 deaths from vehicle crashes. Although truck drivers are supposed to receive specific training on how to drive these big tucks these crashes and accidents still happen much too often.
There are many different reasons that can cause a truck accident. Because of the long drives and hours behind the wheel truck drivers can be overworked, too tired, and easily distracted from the boredom. With so much weight and speed it is harder to stop a large truck and truck drivers need to have even better reactions than the average driver. Sometimes these companies hire truck drivers that are not qualified or should not be allowed to drive these big trucks. Speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane change are just some of the typical reasons we see that cause these crashes.
Truck drivers are required to keep a record showing the times and distances they have been driving. Sometimes these records are not accurate and can prove a truck driver was driving way too many hours than he was supposed to. Sometimes these log books have been proven to have incorrect information or even intentional lies. These records can also show possible poor upkeep and poor maintenance of the truck. Most all of these trucks now have GPS which can also prove how far and how fast they have been driving. Following a truck crash these drivers are required to have a drug test and that can produce helpful evidence in proving who caused the crash.
When you are in a truck accident and you’re injured you should immediately call 911 and check on other people if you can. Take pictures of you can this can be extremely important in proving your case. Get the names and phone numbers of any witness. In truck accidents, police officers will often talk to these witnesses but sometimes do not get their contact information. When the ambulance arrives tell them everything and follow their instructions. When you talk to the police tell them what happened. If you aren’t sure about some part of what happened, just be honest. Don’t try to fill in the gaps of what you think happened. Be very careful if someone from the trucking company calls you. They may be really nice, but their goal is to get out of this by paying the least amount possible. Do you think they are looking out for you or are they looking out for their company? They might offer you some money within a few days of the crash, but is it a fair settlement? These large companies have large law firms to protect them. You should get someone to stand on your side and an experienced lawyer knows how to handle these cases.
