Commercial truck accidents are often catastrophic, resulting in severe injuries and even fatalities. In 2021, the United States experienced a staggering number of large truck accidents, surpassing half a million in total. Specifically, there were 523,796 such incidents during that year. To put it into perspective, the previous year saw 415,444 of these accidents. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, it is crucial to seek legal representation from an experienced commercial truck accident lawyer.
Unlike car accidents, truck accidents often involve multiple parties, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and the manufacturer of the truck or its components. Additionally, truck accident victims may face unique challenges, such as difficulty proving fault and obtaining adequate compensation from insurance companies.
A commercial truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and pursue justice. These lawyers have the specialized knowledge and experience necessary to handle complex truck accident cases. They can investigate your accident, gather evidence, determine liability, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in court, if necessary.
The Role of A Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer
Commercial truck accidents are often catastrophic, resulting in severe injuries and even fatalities. Due to the size and weight of commercial vehicles, even a minor collision can have devastating consequences. Additionally, commercial truck accidents often involve multiple parties, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and the manufacturer of the truck or its components.
This complexity can make it challenging for victims to navigate the legal process and obtain the compensation they deserve. That’s where a commercial truck accident lawyer can help.
Distinctive Characteristics of Commercial Truck Accidents
Commercial truck accidents differ from car accidents in several key ways:
- Severity of injuries: Commercial trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. As a result, commercial truck accidents often result in more severe injuries and fatalities.
- Complexity of cases: Commercial truck accidents often involve multiple parties, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and the manufacturer of the truck or its components. This complexity can make it difficult for victims to determine liability and pursue compensation.
- Resources of trucking companies: Trucking companies have significant financial resources and legal teams. This can give them an advantage in settlement negotiations and litigation.
- Specialization in Truck Accident Law
- Industry-Specific Knowledge
- Interview witnesses
- Review police reports and other documents
- Obtain evidence from the trucking company
- Hire experts
- Logbooks: Logbooks document the truck driver’s hours of service and other important information. Commercial truck accident lawyers can review logbooks to determine if the truck driver was violating hours-of-service regulations at the time of the accident.
- Black box data: Black box data, also known as electronic control module (ECM) data, can provide valuable information about the truck’s speed, braking, and other factors leading up to the accident.
- Maintenance records: Maintenance records can show whether the truck was properly maintained and whether there were any known defects that could have contributed to the accident.
- Driver training records: Driver training records can show whether the truck driver was properly trained and whether they had any prior accidents or violations.
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The manufacturer of the truck or its components
- Other third parties, such as a cargo loader or road maintenance company
