Every year, accidents involving semis, 18-wheelers and other large commercial trucks number in the hundreds of thousands. Truckers are required to undergo specialized training and get a commercial driver’s license, but not all do. Even those who have had proper training can show poor judgment or get behind the wheel of a poorly maintained truck without knowing it. Common causes of truck accidents include:
- Fatigue linked to exceeding the limit of permissible driving hours
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Distracted driving (texting, adjusting the radio, etc.)
- Driving under the influence (including amphetamines and over-the-counter drugs such as No Doz)
Many commercial trucks have a black box similar to the black boxes required in commercial airplanes. Truck black boxes collect information such as brake usage, speed and steering changes. Information obtained from black boxes is often used to help determine fault in an accident.
INJURIES TO MOTOR VEHICLE PASSENGERS
For the occupants of the passenger vehicles involved in accidents with commercial trucks and construction vehicles, the number of serious injuries and deaths is staggering. A semitruck carrying a full load can be 20 times heavier than an average car. That disparity in weight means that the passenger vehicle absorbs the brunt of the force of impact in a collision. That force can result in serious injuries, including:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limbs
- Internal injuries
- Burns
- Death
These injuries often lead to disability, long-term care and rehabilitation. Hiring an attorney helps ensure that you and your family get the level of financial compensation you need to deal with medical bills and other expenses.
PURSUING CASES AGAINST LARGE TRUCK COMPANIES
Large trucking companies are notorious for employing teams of lawyers to protect their interests. Proving negligence on the part of the trucking company can be very difficult. When data from a black box are available, it may not tell the whole story behind the cause of an accident and the trucking company lawyers get that information first. They know how to present black box data to promote their version of events. It takes an experienced lawyer who understands the tactics employed by trucking companies to successfully defend accident victims.
CONTACT TRUCKING ACCIDENT LAWYER DENNIS J. BISCHOF FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
If you were injured in an accident involving a semi or other type of commercial truck, call Dennis J. Bischof, LLC, at 716-630-6500 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation.
Dennis J. Bischof, LLC
6720 Main Street
Suite 250
Buffalo, NY 14221
Phone: 716-630-6500
Fax: 716-630-6501