Trucking Accidents
Though Trucks play an important role in American economy, if they do not follow the laws when on road they can be deadly. Injuries from trucking accidents are always of a very serious nature.Transport and delivery companies run large commercial trucks like tractor-trailers weighing more than 20 times a regular passenger car. If these trailers meet with an accident, the smaller vehicles would be completely crushed under their weight and result in a horrifying accident. Victims of trucking accidents whether those riding the truck or those hit by the truck will either be dead or sustain severe brain or spinal injuries.
Commercial truck drivers should be trained professionals, who have to follow special safety regulations about driving. Unfortunately in order to meet their deadlines, both the trucking companies and truck drivers have been ignoring these laws and regulations. Drivers are driving at nights with less or no sleep at all, the trucks and their parts are not serviced and maintained regularly, resulting in horrifying accidents. Similar to the large trucks, smaller and personal trucks are also dangerous on the roads. They may not be as heavy or tall as the large trailer trucks, but they are big enough to crush passenger cars or vehicles.
Trucking Accidents Statistics
- Only 3 percent of the road traffic consists of large trucks, however they are responsible for more than 12 percent of fatal accidents.
- Each year around 5,000 people die in accidents involving large trucks
- Each year around 115,000 people are injured in trucking accidents
- Every 16 minutes, a person is either injured or killed in a truck accident
- In 75% of the cases, victims who got killed in large-truck crashes were occupants of the crashed vehicle
Although the ideal situation would be to eradicate all the trucking accidents but it is not possible in the real world. Any person who has been a victim of a .truck accident and has been physically or emotionally injured should contact a renowned trucking accidents lawyer and also do the following:
- Visit a hospital and get immediate medical attention. Injuries may not always be visible, it is important that you consult a medical practitioner and undergo a complete check-up. Documentation signed by a medical professional will be required while filing a legal case against the truck driver or trucking company.
- Call 911 and report the accident to the police. If the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the police can file charges against him. Insurance companies require police reports to process the claim.
- Try to get the contact information of people around who witnessed the accident. A live witness will help you in filing a personal injury case.
- Even though the police will take pictures of the accident site, it is advisable that you too take pictures and collect them as evidence. Take pictures from all angles, showing all the damage.
Victims and families of the victims of trucking accidents in California, are eligible to file for damages and receive compensation for their injuries. Contact an experienced trucking accident attorney, who can ascertain all details and file a case for you against the trucking company or the truck driver.
Over the years, we at Khashan law have witnessed how the insurance companies make it difficult for victims of truck accidents to recover their damages for the injuries they sustained in the accident. Victims are forced to accept low settlements or give up on pursuing their case compensation because insurance companies reject their claims. We at Khashan law have expertise in handling trucking accidents cases and have won a number of cases involving them. We ensure that our clients obtain full compensation for their present and future damages. Call us at (951) 461-2387 for a free, confidential consultation.