Accidents in commercial trucking have become the nature of the work. When you do 14 hours of driving per day in some cases, accidents happen. Unfortunately, these accidents can be deadly because of how you have a 40,000-pound semi truck and a 3,000-pound car. Many times, when an accident with a big truck happens, the person will either get badly injured or they will die as a result. Having a lawyer on hand who can represent you in the case of personal injury can make a big difference in how much compensation you get for the accident.
The Fatality Rate
When it comes to a commercial trucking accident, 86 percent of those who get killed in these accidents with a large truck were the passengers of the smaller vehicle. Looking at the statistics of personal injury, it becomes sobering to see how these vehicles pose a danger to your wellbeing. When you look at large commercial vehicles, which means vehicles over 10,000 pounds, these vehicles are involved in commercial trucking accident cases about 500,000 times every year. Oftentimes, these accidents will happen in more rural settings. Of the 500,000 accidents that occur, 5,000 of them will turn out to be fatal. In most cases, almost always it becomes fatal for the passenger vehicle. Because of the size of the truck that they drive in, the truck drivers will normally be encased and protected from any accidents that might occur.
However, there have been cases where the driver of the semi truck gets badly injured or even killed as well. If you were involved in an accident, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to help you win your case. After an accident, the evidence starts to fade immediately, which is why you want an experienced law firm on your side and to snap into action with jaws open and teeth baring.
The Leading Cause of Accidents in Trucking
When you look at the commercial trucking accident statistics, the leading cause of accidents in the field of trucking comes from truck drivers who operated their vehicle while they were intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substances. In these cases, you should not even hesitate to call a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Some of the other common cases that can happen include speeding, failure to stay in their lane, not being attentive and using cell phones while driving.
You can protect yourself with defensive driving techniques, but even that will only go so far. In some cases, you couldn’t have avoided the accident because it was a mistake on the part of the other person. When this happens, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. If the accident wasn’t even your fault, why should you take the brunt of it? Having someone who can represent you in a case becomes quintessential.
What Happens if Your Loved One Died?
In cases where you lost a loved one in an accident, you can still file a personal injury lawsuit against the individual responsible, and against the company responsible in many cases. If they were drunk and got into a trucking accident, you could also go back and file a personal injury lawsuit against the establishment that served them alcohol. Law firms have represented many disgruntled clients who were injured because of a drunk driver, and they go after a variety of people including the ones that served the alcohol if it was above a reasonable limit.
Higher Rate of Fatality Than Many Other Jobs
Based on information from the US Bureau of Statistics, truck drivers have a higher rate of fatality than any other industry, and this has only continued to increase with time as it has grown worse. In 2016, the number of accidents in trucking rose by seven percent. Workplace deaths have reached all-time highs, and this could be related to a variety of factors that include:
- Driving while drunk or under the influence
- Fatigue and illnesses
- Aggressive and reckless driving habits
- Weather-related problems and poor road conditions
- Dangerous and defective truck parts
Unfortunately, trucking employers continue to pressure drivers into breaking rules to get freight in sooner than expected. This has come as a result of shortages in the driving industry, which has forced those working in the industry to pick up the slack that the shortage has left them with. Even the veterans of the industry have felt the push where they have to drive more often to meet up with the industry standards.
Injured Truck Drivers Could Receive Compensation
Maybe your personal injury didn’t come from being a passenger, but your commercial trucking accident happened as a result of your employer pushing you too hard. After a serious wreck, they leave you marooned with outrageous medical bills, a loss of income and tons of uncertainty. Why should you be the one to take the loss? Depending on the state laws, you could file a personal injury claim against the employer if things were not done by the book, and it led to you getting into an accident. They could be held liable for what they have done.
Having an experienced personal injury attorney on your side after a commercial trucking accident can mean the difference between getting compensation and not getting it. These claims, however, can be exceptionally complex, and you want a lawyer who understands how to back you up in these cases. You will have to identify a few things like the insurance policies in place and the terms that will have an impact on the overall case. Without understanding these things, it will be hard for you to get compensation, but a personal injury lawyer can position you in the best lighting so that you can increase your chances of getting more favorable compensation from the case. Everyone who has been injured in an accident deserves respect.
An aggressive personal injury attorney in Tulsa can assist and guide you to build a personal injury case, countering any attempt by a negligent defendant to avoid taking responsibility for your personal injuries or damages. The Gorospe Law Group personal injury attorney law firm has a long track record of excellent results for their clients in Tulsa.
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