Truck Accident Cases,The Tragic Numbers
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2018 alone it was reported that there were 164, 925 large truck accident cases. These commercial truck accidents resulted in 80,150 injuries and 5,216 fatalities. For the first 9 months of 2019 the number of crashes stood at an extremely high number of 116,904 crashes with 57,330 injuries and 3,373 deaths. And these numbers do not even include the alarming rate of bus accidents.
The problem is likely to continue to increase as industry insiders confirm that more trucks continue to ride U.S. highways and roads on a daily basis.
Tractor Trailer Accidents: Size Makes a Difference
A large truck is any truck whose vehicle weight is over 10,000 pounds-usually referred to as semis or tractor-trailers. Because of their extreme size, crashes involving large trucks are more likely to result in serious injury and death than those involving only passenger cars. Approximately 10% of people that experience an auto accident injury from a large truck crash are killed. Large trucks are also more likely to be involved in multiple-vehicle crashes than are passenger cars.
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TRUCKING ACCIDENTS, SAFETY REGULATIONS
Both federal and state regulations govern the safety of truck equipment and the trucking industry is required to comply with those regulations. There are also defined reporting rules in the event of a big rig, large commercial truck collision. 
Recent safety regulations include the May 2020 U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) final rule "updating hours of service (HOS) rules to increase safety on America's roadways by updating existing regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers." According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao, "America's truckers are doing a heroic job keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented time and these rules will provide them greater flexibility to keep America moving."
Before the new statements in May 2020, The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in September 2019, that it awarded $77.3 million in grants to states and educational institutions to enhance commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety.
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These grants included the following:
$43.3 million in High Priority (HP) grants to enhance states' commercial motor vehicle safety efforts, as well as advance technological capability within states.
$32 million in Commercial Driver's License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grants to enhance efforts by states to improve the national commercial driver's license (CDL) program.
$2 million in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grants to sixteen education institutions to help train veterans for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.
"FMCSA is committed to working with all of its state and local partners to reduce crashes and improve safety on America's roadways. These important grants demonstrate the agency's commitment to providing local areas with the resources they need to make a difference for commercial motor vehicle safety," said FMCSA Administrator Raymond P. Martinez.
What Are Common Causes For Truck Accidents With Injury?
Despite the ongoing attempts to further regulate the trucking industry in order to decrease these horrific motor vehicle accidents and the number of accident victims , there remain numerous common causes for tractor trailer accidents:
- Poor and outdated equipment
- Driver fatigue
- Driver error
- Speeding
- Alcohol or drug use
- Poor training
- Distracted drivers
- Improper lane changes
- Failure to see the cars around them when making turns
- Blind spots
Who Is Responsible In A Truck Accident?
It is critical to determine who is responsible for a commercial vehicle accident as liability may involve more than one person or party.
Commercial Truck Drivers - the truck driver may be liable for negligent driving. Perhaps the driver has consumed alcohol or drugs. Maybe the accident was the result of long hours on a single trip, dangerous night driving or as a result of a medical health issue.
Truck Manufacturer - the truck itself might be defective thereby causing the accident.
Equipment Manufacturer - equipment such as ropes, pulleys may have been defective thereby contributing to the accident by failing to keep cargo tightly in place.
Agency who hires the driver - agencies who hire truck drivers might try to cut corners, avoid necessary inspections and hire unqualified drivers.
The Trucking Company - the trucking company might bear responsibility for inspecting the vehicle, checking the engine, and verifying that the tires are safe for heavy load driving.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
If you have been in an accident with a large truck in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, you might feel at a loss, not knowing where to begin after such a traumatic moment. It's perfectly natural and incredibly common to not be thinking clearly or strategically in the immediate aftermath of a terrible crash. The main thing is to secure your own safety and that of others as best you can and try to make sure emergency personnel are notified. If you're physically capable, there are some other valuable steps you can take at the crash scene that will help you and your attorney build a strong legal case to receive maximum compensation:
- Call 911. New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania all require a law enforcement report if an accident caused injury or death. Pennsylvania requires all accidents on public roadways to be reported, and New Jersey and New York require a report if there is extensive property damage. When you give your report, be sure to get the investigating police officer's name, badge number, and contact information, especially if you are in Pennsylvania. With this information, you can easily obtain a copy of your official report, known as a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Police Crash Reporting From (AA 500).
- Seek medical help. The most important result of a 911 call is receiving medical care! Your first priority is to make sure you get the medical care you need. Any other aspects of the crash can be handled after you are ok. It is also important to keep in mind that even if you do not immediately feel hurt, crash injuries may not be noticeable right after the accident. Therefore, if you start feeling unwell or feel pain, you should get checked out immediately.
- Exchange information. Only if you are physically up to it, try to exchange contact and insurance information with other drivers involved in the crash. Ask to see an insurance card, but also take down the driver's name, home address, business address and the name of their trucking company. The police can help with this exchange of information.
- Save evidence. Try to take photos of the scene, your vehicle, and visible injuries. Capture many photos from various angles. If there are witnesses, get their names and contact information. Write down any extra information you think might be relevant, like the road conditions or weather.
- Don't volunteer info. You should contact your own insurance company, but only report to them that an accident occurred. You do not need to discuss questions of liability with them. You should get legal representation as soon as possible to ensure you are compensated fairly for your losses.
Compensation for Truck Accidents
The law allows recovery for a wide range of situations, many of which may not be readily apparent to the injured party. This includes but is not limited to the following:
- past medical expenses,
- future medical expenses,
- future medical care and rehabilitation costs,
- therapy,
- lost past wages,
- lost future income,
- property damage,
- pain and suffering, and
- punitive damages and more.
An experienced personal injury attorney will fight to obtain money for you to compensate you for all of your damages, past, and future.
Getting Legal Help from an 18 Wheeler Accident Attorney
It is important to have the help of a semi truck accident lawyer whenever you are hurt in any one of these accidents. It is advantageous to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer regarding truck accident claims and truck accident lawsuits while still at the accident scene if possible. The legal professionals at a truck accident law firm can help explain how the facts of your particular case might play out in negotiations with the trucking company and/or insurance company. Your attorney will clarify how a truck accident claim requires one to diligently perform a thorough investigation of all facets of the accident. In addition, you can learn whether or not the filing of a lawsuit is necessary to ensure that you receive the compensation for your truck accident injury that you deserve.
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Free Case Evaluation, Free Consultation
If you or a loved one are truck accident victims and have suffered in an auto accident injury as a result of a large truck crash, call a truck accident lawyer at The Rothenberg Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers at 1-800-624-8888 or submit a free online case evaluation. The initial consultation is FREE.
If we agree to handle your case, there is no legal fee unless we are successful in getting you money. A lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a Statute of Limitations so please contact our truck accident law firm right away so that you do not lose your rights to money and other benefits.
It is impossible to make generalizations about the value of any truck accident case without knowing the details of the injuries and the manner in which the accident took place.