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What You Need to Know About Truck Accidents
What You Need to Know About Truck Accidents: When to Call an Alabama Truck Wreck Lawyer
In any given year, over 100,000 people are injured in truck accidents. When you are in a collision with an 18-wheeler truck there are things you need to know in order to maximize recovery against all of the defendants. For example, it is key that you do not talk with anyone from the trucking company. This includes employees, as well as companies assisting the trucking company, such as the investigators, lawyers, and the insurance company.
It is key to begin investigating as soon as possible after a truck accident. An accident reconstruction expert will need to be immediately dispatched to the scene so they can secure measurements, photographs, and evidence. The truck’s black box data, as well as the truck’s GPS data, will need to be secured and downloaded. The trucking company’s licenses, insurance, and safety record will be investigated, as well as the background and criminal history of the truck driver. If the collision resulted in death, autopsy records will need to be acquired. Also, notice letters will need to be quickly sent to the trucking company demanding that all evidence remains in its post-accident state. Failure to act quickly on any of these accords can, unfortunately, result in the destruction of evidence.
In addition to all of the items that need to quickly fall into place after a truck accident, it is also vital to research and determine the best venue in which to bring the claim. It is rare that a truck collision lawsuit involves only one state’s laws or court system. Most likely, the trucking company is located in a different state than the one where the collision occurred, not to mention the driver is probably a resident of a third state. In order to achieve the most favorable results, it is critical to determine at the start of the case which state’s laws are the most advantageous to you and bring the case to that state.
Truck collisions can occur for many reasons including bad trucking company policies or carelessness. Companies will often hire inexperienced drivers and fail to adequately train them. Often times, companies fail to even run a criminal and/or driving background check. Equipment also plays a large role in the safety of 18-wheeler trucks. If the truck is overloaded, not properly secured, or poorly maintained, an accident can occur. Companies tend to overwork and over schedule their drivers which can lead them to drive with a lack of sleep. Driving while sleep deprived can result in non-alert driving which is especially dangerous when operating an 80,000-pound piece of equipment.
Poor judgment from the truck driver can also lead to truck accidents. You would be unpleasantly surprised to know how many truck drivers choose to drive with drugs and/or alcohol in their system. Today’s drivers are also more distracted with talking on the phone, texting, checking emails, and looking at GPS. With the tight deadlines and busy schedule, they can choose to drive recklessly and speed. Other conditions, such as highway hypnosis (after thousands of miles watching the same scenery, a driver can enter a sort of “trance” like state) and blind spots (the area behind a truck which is not visible on most mirror systems) are more out of a drivers control.
There are also some causes of truck accidents that are not the fault of the trucking company or the driver. Road construction can create hazardous conditions, improper signage can obstruct the driver’s view, and defective highway design can lead to collisions.
Our Alabama Truck Wreck Lawyers at Taylor Martino, PC handle the following cases:
- 18-Wheelers
- Commercial Trucks
- Box Trucks
- Tanker Trucks
- Delivery Trucks
- Gravel Trucks
- Dump Trucks
- Construction Trucks
- Cement Mixers
- Crane Trucks
- Utility Trucks
- Garbage Trucks
- U-Haul Trucks & Trailers
- Buses
When to Contact our Alabama Truck Injury Lawyers at Taylor Martino, PC:
The truck injury lawyers of Taylor Martino, PC have been providing aggressive, effective legal representation in courtrooms for over 30 years. When it comes to truck accidents, we have a wealth of experience, as well as a network of local experts to present opinions as evidence to prove our case. If you, or a loved one, has been injured in a truck accident in Alabama or the gulf coast area, then please contact the experienced Alabama truck wreck lawyers at Taylor Martino, PC for an initial consultation. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay a dime unless we collect compensation for your case. Remember, time is of the essence when maximizing recovery so, protect yourself and call today!
