Semi Truck Accident Common Causes
Semi-truck accidents have the potential to cause unprecedented levels of damage on the road to drivers simply trying to make their commute. One of the most terrifying things about semi-truck accidents is how easily they can happen. All it takes is a single mistake for a semi-truck to start an accident that can severely injure and possibly kill several people. These semi-truck accidents happen with terrifying speed and intensity after the first domino falls. There are some mistakes and issues that lead to a semi-truck accident occurring more than others.
Those that have been involved in a semi-truck accident will have likely suffered some significant injuries. It is not unusual for victims of a semi-truck accident to survive the ordeal only to have to contend with a newfound disability, immense mental trauma, as well as being placed in dire financial trouble because of massive medical expenses, and lost wages.
Luckily semi-truck accident victims can recover compensation for their injuries when they file a semi-truck accident injury claim against a negligent party that is liable for their actions. These semi-truck accident claims can often be complex affairs where no two are ever the same. Your case will have a number of unique factors that will require expert legal advice and investigation in order to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Consider enlisting the assistance of an experienced law firm such as Eberst Law. Our lawyers have a long track record of successful truck accident cases that have recovered compensation for accident victims just like you. Contact Eberst Law either through our online contact form or call at 772-225-4900.
Common Semi-Truck Accident Causes
Semi-Truck Driver Distractions
Driver distraction is one of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents in general. Motorcycles, regular cars, and other commercial vehicles are all regularly involved in deadly accidents daily because a driver of any one of these kinds of vehicles, took their eyes off the road to do something else. Semi-truck driver distraction can be especially dangerous considering the size and weight of the vehicles they handle.
Driver distraction is any behavior that draws a driver’s attention away from the task of driving and these behaviors are often much more varied than many people anticipate. Drivers can be distracted mentally by thinking of other things than the driving they should be focused on, they can be physically distracted by taking their hands off the wheel to perform a task, or they can distract in a perceptive capacity when they take their eyes off of the road. Among all the forms of driver distraction, the most common is smartphone use either for texting, calling, or social media.
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs
Truck drivers have to contend with a great deal of stress and mental strain while on the job which leads many truck drivers to turn to vices such as alcohol and substance abuse to take the edge off. Naturally, being under the influence of these substances while driving an 80,000-pound semi-truck will significantly increase the chance of an accident occurring.
Semi-Truck Driver Fatigue
Driving a semi-truck is often grueling work where drivers can end up behind the wheel for up to 11 hours that can leave them fatigued. There are regulations in place to ensure that semi-truck drivers only drive a certain period of time before they must take a mandatory break but some truck drivers under deadline pressure disregard the rules and put people in danger. Drowsy driving can often be just as dangerous as driving under the influence.
Improper Semi-Truck Driver Training
Semi-trucks are surprisingly complicated vehicles requiring deft control and fast reflexes to ensure that operation runs smoothly. Semi-truck drivers all have to receive proper schooling in order to ensure that they can safely drive their vehicles. However, some trucking companies may expedite the training process in order to put out more drivers so that demand can be met. As a result, less qualified drivers that can make dangerous mistakes are put out on the road behind the wheels of semi-trucks.
Lack of Proper Semi-Truck Maintenance Leads to Malfunctions
Semi-trucks require regular maintenance to ensure that a catastrophic equipment malfunction does not occur. When semi-trucks go too long without receiving the proper maintenance, the chance of an accident occurring increases. Since semi-truck braking and steering is much more complex, a malfunction in any of these areas can cause a driver to easily lose control and collide with another vehicle.
Contact an Experienced Florida Truck Accident Attorney
The best thing you can do when you are severely injured in a semi-truck accident is to seek a lawyer experienced in semi-truck accident injury claims. You technically could pursue a claim on your own but the odds of you successfully navigating the many pitfalls of insurance tricks and the legal process is greatly diminished. Insurance companies have everything they need to successfully deny a claim; as that is their goal since profits are their main priority. Insurance companies have the experience, personnel, resources, lawyers, and money to fight a claim to any extent necessary. If it turns into a “who can withstand the storm longer” type of situation, the answer will always be the insurance company when competing against an injured victim on their own.
It doesn’t cost you anything to get an injury attorney to look at your case. Likewise, truck accident lawyers don’t cost anything out of your pocket since they work on a contingency fee basis. This means they take a percentage of the settlement once the claim is seen through and don’t get paid at all if the injury victim doesn’t recover financial compensation. You or your loved one are likely significantly injured if you are even considering hiring a car accident attorney in the first place. So you should focus on your recovery while a professional works to maximize your settlement with the insurance companies and courts.
If you have been injured in a truck accident in the Stuart, Florida or Gainesville, Florida area, contact the experienced personal injury team at The Eberst Law Firm. We are ready to handle your case. You can contact us online or call us at 772-225-4900.
Stuart, Florida Office
101 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Gainesville, Florida Office
