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Top Causes of Semi Truck Accidents From an 18 Wheeler Injury Attorney

TOP CAUSES OF 18 WHEELER ACCIDENTS

As with typical automobile accidents, 18 wheeler truck-related accidents share many of the same initial sources. There are, however, a number of specific circumstances that are unique to the trucking industry that causes certain truck accidents to take place. The nature of the semi-tractor truck in one of these collisions in nearly all cases imparts massive trauma, or death, to the occupants of the smaller automobile while the truck driver walks away — injury-free. If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in a truck accident, contact our expert truck accident lawyers here at Wettermark & Keith, LLC. Our top attorneys have over three decades of experience battling these large companies and have the resources needed to make your case come to fruition.

DRIVER FATIGUE: THE MAIN CAUSE OF LARGE TRUCK ACCIDENTS

One of the primary contributing factors in 18 wheeler truck-related accidents is simple driver fatigue. Truck drivers are typically paid by the amount of cargo they haul and how quickly they can get it from one destination to the next. To make a quicker profit, truckers may work unreasonably long hours to incur bonuses or incentives for finishing their route ahead of time. Unfortunately, truck drivers are not immune to the effects of driver fatigue and the longer they stay up the more likely they are to cause an accident. According to data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 13% of truck accidents occur due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

SPEEDING: THE #2 CAUSE FOR A SEMI TRUCK ACCIDENT

In order to reach destinations quicker which in turn may net a bonus from their employers, 18 wheeler truck drivers can choose to disobey posted signage and travel above the speed limit. State governments put speed limits in place to reduce the likelihood of injury and try to save lives; when truck drivers ignore these signs they put the lives of those they share the roads within direct danger. Many turns and curves on state interstates have reduced speed signs in place to lessen the number of traffic collisions incurred while negotiating them. Trucks traveling too quickly through these turns can easily spin out of control and cause a multi-car accident.

DISTRACTED TRUCK DRIVER 18 WHEELER TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Distracted driving remains a significant source of accidents in the Southeast. Additionally, driver inattention causes a large number of vehicle collisions as well. When drivers of large commercial vehicles fail to pay attention to the changing conditions around them, catastrophic accidents can take place. It is currently against the law in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee to use a cell phone while operating a vehicle. Truck drivers engaged in phone conversations while driving put the lives of others on the road at great risk.

WHY YOU SHOULD CALL 18-WHEELER ACCIDENT LAWYERS

IF WE DON’T WIN YOUR SEMI TRUCK ACCIDENT CASE, YOU DON’T PAY US

When selecting clients to represent in court, our firm operates on a contingency fee basis. What this means to our clients is simple: if we don’t win your case, you won’t pay anything. We choose to operate this way for the sole benefit of our clients, we want to see you obtain a successful recovery so that you can continue to carry on with your life.

Contact our law office today if have been the victim of a truck accident in Alabama, Tennessee, or Florida Panhandle areas. With the aid of a top injury lawyer, we can help you and your family pursue the compensation you need in this hard time.

18 wheeler accident Injuries happen far too often, and when they do - when a semi-truck collides with another vehicle, usually a much smaller one - the results are often disastrous for the other driver.

Some of the most serious personal injury cases we have ever tried have been 18-wheeler accidents. The amount of devastation these big trucks can cause is horrifying. There’s a reason why people call semi-trucks the most dangerous things on the road; they’re just so much bigger and more powerful than even the biggest SUVs.

To safeguard us against reckless truck drivers, the federal government has adopted regulations controlling how much driving a driver can do during a given time. Trucking companies are required to keep detailed logs, limit the driving hours each driver pulls, test regularly for drugs, and do other things that hopefully cut down on accidents and enhance commuter safety.

But trucking companies, their drivers, and their insurance companies don’t always play by the rules. In today’s competitive trucking industry, there are incentives to cheat, skimp on the rules, and get around the regulations.

And when an accident happens, there are even bigger incentives to play dirty by withholding evidence, altering, or destroying evidence.

For those reasons and more, it’s imperative that victims call truck accident lawyers as soon as possible following a wreck.

SAFEGUARDING EVIDENCE FOR YOUR PERSONAL INJURIES CASE

Your case is going to require a lot of evidence before we can win.

Unfortunately, much of that evidence is in the hands of the trucking company - and they don’t want us to see it. There have been plenty of times when trucking companies have taken drastic steps to obscure evidence of their complicity in the accident, such as:

  • Forging entries in the driver’s logs
  • Quickly making repairs to the tractor-trailer before it can be inspected
  • Losing key documentation

You can imagine how important it is to make sure these things don’t happen. That’s why it’s important to call a good injury attorney or trucking lawyer quickly - so that they can help you safeguard evidence, get your side of the story, and fight off insurance companies looking for quick and insufficient settlement.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

When you contact a lawyer about an 18-wheeler accident case, you’ll get a chance to tell your story to the attorney’s team and explain what happened. They’ll ask you questions about the accident; all you have to do is do your best to recall. If you have any pictures or video evidence, you can mention that.

In your free consultation, the lawyer will learn more about you and your case. They’ll give you a good idea of the chances your case has at being settled or resolved at trial, and may offer to represent you. Should they offer, and should you accept, they’ll begin the process of collecting information - medical records, accident reports, eyewitness statements, and especially the driving logs from the trucking company.

The more information the attorney has, the more likely he or she will be able to help you. We’ll take an aggressive approach to contacting the trucking company, its attorneys, and its insurance provider as needed throughout the process. We’ll also keep you fully aware of what’s going on at all times and keep up clear lines of communication so that you can know what’s happening.

At some point, after the case has been prepared, it’ll be filed in the appropriate courts. Then, we’ll begin the litigation process that will ideally end in a settlement or a verdict in your favor.

The path can be long and tiresome, but justice is worth the toil.

CALL AN 18 WHEELER ATTORNEY ASAP

The big lesson is this: to protect your legal rights, call an 18-wheeler attorney as soon as possible after the accident.

Time wasted or delayed increases the chances that the other side will do what it has to do in order to deny your claim and keep you from receiving the compensation needed to get your life back on track. The wheels of justice need to start turning quickly in order to protect you and your loved ones.

WETTERMARK KEITH: THE TOP CHOICE IN TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

Contact the trucking accident lawyers at Wettermark Keith for a free consultation about your case. The faster you act, the better your chances will be at receiving a just and fair settlement or verdict.

Ready to work together? Contact us today for a free consultation.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO NEXT

If you or a loved one have been injured and think you might have a case, call us now for a free consultation.