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When a person is injured or killed in a semi-truck accident that was caused, in whole or part, by another’s conduct, that person has the legal right to seek relief for their damages. When a semi-truck accident costs the lives of those persons involved, their families have the legal right to seek reparation of their losses in a wrongful death lawsuit. With the help of a legal professional, the victim of a semi-truck accident can determine who is liable for the accident and the damages sustained. A truck driver, truck company, contractors, employers, and insurance companies can all be held liable for the damages caused in a semi-truck accident.
Though semi-truck accidents occur less frequently than passenger car accidents, these accidents often result in catastrophic injury and property damage. More than five thousand lives are lost each year in semi-truck accidents. Approximately 135,000 people are injured in a semi-truck accident annually. Of these injured victims, one in three will suffer catastrophic damages such as brain injury, limb loss, or severe burns. Nearly eighty percent of all victims in semi-tuck accident cases are car drivers or passengers.
Semi-truck accidents account for sixty percent of all commercial truck-related fatalities in the United States. Of these fatal semi-truck accident cases, the majority involve a rollover accident. Ten percent of semi-truck accident cases involve a fuel fed oil fire. Another ten percent are the result of a passenger car crossing into on-coming traffic and striking a semi-truck head-on. The majority of semi-truck accident cases occur in rural areas, on dry roads, during the daylight hours.
There are many factors that can cause or contribute to semi-truck accident cases. Passenger car driver negligence can sometimes be the cause of a semi-truck accident. Drivers may not know how to safely share the road with large trucks and may misjudge a truck’s acceleration, visibility, and braking capabilities. Unsafe merging, passing, lane changes, high speeds, and similar driver conduct can all lead to a semi-truck accident.
Semi-truck drivers can also be responsible for causing a semi-truck accident. The federal government estimates that thirty to forty percent of all semi-truck accident cases are caused by truck driver fatigue. The nature of truck driving requires that these workers put in long hours to cover large distances regularly. Truck companies with a compensation system that encourages faster driving and longer hours may be responsible for any semi-truck accident that occurs because of truck driver fatigue. In one study, twenty percent of the truck drivers surveyed admitted to falling asleep at the wheel within the last few months. Other major causes of semi-truck accidents include: driver inexperience, improper training, intoxication, reckless conduct, oversized loads, mechanical failures, and improper vehicle maintenance.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a semi-truck accident, you may wish to contact a qualified and experienced attorney who can evaluate your case to determine your rights and legal options in a case. A legal professional can protect and maximize your interests in a semi-truck accident lawsuit.
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