Although commercial truck accidents are not as talked about as traditional passenger vehicle collisions, they often cause more serious damages. The law states that any vehicle carrying over 10,000 pounds are considered trucks, but often times these trucks carry much more. Sometimes trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.
Compared to a 3,000-pound passenger vehicle, the large size and weight of a commercial truck can do much more damage, cause more serious injuries, and frequently even death when involved in an auto accident. If the truck is carrying hazardous or bulky items, the risk of fatalities and injuries in the event of an accident increases drastically.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, or IIHS, reports that over half a million trucks were involved in accidents in the U.S. in 2010 alone, resulting in about 100,000 serious injuries and over 5,000 deaths. In 2009, only 3,200 deaths were caused by commercial truck accidents. As the number of trucks on the roads increase, the number of fatalities due to truck accidents will increase as well.
With many truck accidents, there is someone at fault. If the accident was clearly caused by the actions of another individual and a death or serious injury resulted, the victim or victim’s surviving family members may be able to receive financial damages for everything from medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, or other opportunities that were taken away as a result of the accident.
Semi-Truck Accidents and Negligence
In the legal world, a truck accident includes an incident or series of events involving a vehicle with a weight greater than 10,000 pounds that resulted in property damage, bodily injury, and/or death. Although these accidents are usually caused by one party or another, in order for the victim to receive compensation from the truck driver, the truck accident must meet the following criteria:
- The truck accident was a result of fault and/or recklessness of another driver
- The injury or death of the victim was a result of the truck accident
- The injuries resulted in compensable damages
There are several ways to prove that negligence was at fault and will be crucial for proving the fault of the driver and receiving damages. Acceptable forms of evidence include police reports, photographs, and expert or witness testimonies. Additional forms of evidence that may be accepted include proof that the driver was operating his truck while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or showed signs of additional impairment, like driving with a lack of sleep.
A truck accident lawyer can help you determine if negligence is present in your case.
... Read moreCar & Semi-truck Accident Injuries
Getting into an accident with a semi truck or 18-wheeler can be very traumatizing for everyone involved. If you have recently been involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle in the state of Arizona, you are going to need the professional experience of a Phoenix semi truck accident attorney. Your attorney will be able to help you receive compensation for your injuries and damages done to your commercial vehicle.Because of the catastrophic accidents, these trucks can cause in a collision and the chances of death and severe injuries, you will need a highly-motivated Phoenix car accident attorney. The injury attorney assigned to you at Hutzler Law will fight on your behalf to get you the compensation amount you deserve.
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