Injury from truck accidents, tractor-trailers and semi-trucks
Truck accidents can cause serious, life-threatening injuries, impacting your everyday life and ability to earn a living
Semi-truck and truck accidents can result in serious injury. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, you know the destruction it can cause to your property, health and wellbeing. The number of truck accident deaths has increased by 46% since 2009; and a large majority of deaths from truck accidents are unfortunately the occupants of other vehicles (71%), followed by truck occupants (18%) and non-occupants, pedestrians and bicyclists (11%).
When handling a truck accident case, it’s important to know that there are many unique issues to consider that can make it more complex than a typical motor vehicle accident case. To build the strongest case and achieve maximum compensation, a thorough and diligent investigation of the cause of the crash is needed. A personal injury attorney that specializes in truck accidents will be able to gather all the necessary documentation, including black box information from the trucking company, to support your claim.
If you or a family member has been involved in a truck accident, the best step you can take is to secure the representation of a skilled, experienced personal injury attorney.
Specialized, experienced legal services in Connecticut
Connecticut truck accident litigation is complex; which makes partnering with a personal injury attorney with this type of expertise exceptionally important. We take care of the stress and difficulties of dealing with insurance companies and creditors off of your plate so you and your loved ones are able to focus on healing and feeling better. Although we work for individuals rather than insurance companies, we have comprehensive experience working on the insurance side of personal injury claims. An experienced personal injury lawyer knows how to skillfully counter the tactics that insurance companies typically use to undermine your case.
With commercial truck accidents, your personal injury attorney will negotiate with the trucking company and gather all the necessary evidence and documentation from them. If negotiating does not meet our expectations in terms of compensation, we are ready to bring the case to trial and fight for what you are rightfully owed.
We work on a contingency basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we have been successful in making a recovery for you.
Truck accident factors
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that these are the top ten factors causing truck-related accidents, many of which are out of your control:
- Brake issues
- Traffic flow interruption
- Prescription drug use
- Driving too fast for road conditions
- Unfamiliarity with the roadway
- Roadway problems
- Required to stop due to factors like a crosswalk
- Over-the-counter drug use
- Inadequate surveillance
- Fatigue
Connecticut law restricts commercial motor vehicles to 11 hours of driving time and prohibits driving after 14 consecutive hours on duty. However, the law does not restrict the actual time the driver can be on duty as long as he stays within the 60 to 70-hour limits over seven to eight consecutive days.
Truck accidents are often due to negligence and therefore preventable; due to the tight deadlines that trucker operators are required to work in, corners may be cut which can result in an accident.
Who is held liable in a commercial truck accident?
Who is held liable largely depends on many factors involved in the case; however, they can include the truck operator, trucking company (the carrier), the truck manufacturer and/or the company that loaded their cargo. If the driver of the vehicle was driving negligently (speeding or driving while tired and/or fatigued), they may face criminal charges. On the other side, if the accident was due to a component of the truck failing, the manufacturer that made the parts may be held responsible under a product liability claim. If there were a variety of circumstances involved in the accident, you may be able to obtain maximum compensation for your losses by filing multiple claims.
What to do if you’re involved in a truck accident
There may be a lot that is going through your mind after getting involved in an accident, especially if property damage and injury are involved. However, it’s important to stay calm as there are many important critical next steps to take.
Step 1: Check yourself and everyone involved in the accident for injuries. If someone appears to be injured, do not move them; moving them can cause more harm.
Step 2: Call the police and exchange information. Gather the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses, and exchange insurance information with the other motor vehicle operator. Be sure not to discuss who was at fault for the collision. Take pictures of any injuries and the damages of all motor vehicles involved in the accident.
Step 3: Seek immediate medical treatment. If you do not go to the hospital immediately following the accident, see a physician as soon as possible.
Step 4: Support your claim by gathering evidence. This includes photos of all the motor vehicles involved, debris on the road as a result of the accident (such as roadway skid marks), weather conditions and traffic.
Step 5: Inform your auto insurance carrier. Withholding information from your insurance carrier may give them a basis for denying coverage that otherwise would be available to you.
Step 6: Keep a record of all documents.
Step 7: Talk to a personal injury attorney before filing or signing any checks or insurance documents, giving recorded statements to any insurance company, including your own, or meeting with an insurance company representative.
For more detailed steps for how to document a motor vehicle accident with injuries, click here.
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