Reckless driving includes, but is not limited to,
If you believe that the accident was partially or wholly caused by the actions of the truck driver or the trucking company, you should consult with an experienced trucking accident attorney as soon as possible, to determine whether you have a cause of action.
If the roadway condition contributed to the accident, you may have a case against the governmental entity responsible for the road. An experienced trucking accident attorney can determine whether you have a case, you should consult with Casey Gerry's trucking accident attorneys without delay.
Most people will have insurance that will help pay medical bills, either their health insurance or through the healthcare provision in their automobile insurance policy. These are called first party benefits, and they are the usual first resource for payment for medical expenses for injuries in a trucking accident. At Casey Gerry our trucking accident lawyers ask our clients to bring in copies of all their policies so that we can determine their rights of recovery under all policies that may apply.
Most insurance policies have a contractual provision stipulating that the insurance company has a right to seek recovery for reimbursement. At the conclusion of your case Casey Gerry will negotiate the best possible terms with your insurance company for reimbursement from the proceeds of your case.
Experienced trucking lawyers and auto accident attorneys know that speeding, whether exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions, accounts for 20% of all fatal crashes involving large trucks, and over 17% of the injury accidents. Speeding is also a common cause of rollover and jack-knife semi tractor-trailer accidents.
There is a dramatic increase in truck crash fatality rates with each extra ton of truck and cargo weight. Trucking accident lawyers have shown that accidents involving trucks weighing 80,000 pounds are more than twice as likely to have a fatality as those with trucks weighing 50,000 pounds. A 100,000-pound truck travels 25% further after the driver steps on the brakes than will an 80,000-pound vehicle. And a 120,000-pound truck travels 50% further than an 80,000-pound vehicle.
Heavier trucks have increased brake temperatures when traveling downhill. Trucking accident attorneys see more instances of total brake failure and runaway crashes with heavier trucks.
Heavier trucks have a higher center of gravity, and are therefore more likely to roll over.
Large semi tractor-trailer truck accidents can be caused by something as simple as non-working taillights that cause a rear-end collision on a dark highway, or as major as brake failure on a steep downhill grade.
Driver fatigue is a critical factor in over 30% of heavy vehicle accidents. Trucking accident attorneys call fatigue "the silent killer" because it cannot be measured in accident scene tests, like those for alcohol or other drugs -- which surprisingly, play a statistically minor role in most large truck accidents.
Casey Gerry trucking accident lawyers cite The National Transportation Safety Board’s research that the most important measures in predicting a fatigue-related accident are the duration of the last sleep period, the total hours of sleep obtained during the 24 hours prior to the accident, and split sleep patterns. Although truck drivers with split sleep patterns get about 8 hours sleep in a 24-hour period, they obtain it in small segments averaging 4 hours at a time. The NTSB's research suggests that sleep accumulated in short time blocks impedes recovery of performance abilities.
Eight out of 10 people killed in truck accidents were drivers and passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.
In 2006, 4995 people in the US died in accidents involving large trucks, and another 140,000 people were injured. Of the victims who died in truck accidents, nearly 75 percent were occupants of other vehicles, usually passenger cars.
The weight of the average car is 3400 pounds, and a large tractor trailer, fully loaded, can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Because of the disproportionate weights, the driver and passengers in the car are at much higher risk. The probability that a truck accident will result in death or serious injury increases with each extra ton of weight over 80,000 lbs.
Semi-truck accidents can be caused by aggressive driving, including road rage, used of drugs or alcohol, driver fatigue, insufficient or uncompleted maintenance of the vehicle, driving with an unsecured load, and negligent screening and hiring of drivers.
The US Department of Transportation reports that most fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas (62%), during the daytime (66%), and on weekdays (79%).
Large trucks have large blind spots, areas where the driver cannot see what's behind him. You can tell you're in a truck's blind spot if you can't see the truck's side mirrors. Remember, if you can't see the mirrors the truck driver can't see you. One-third of all crashes between large trucks and cars take place in the blind spots around a truck.