Truck accidents can easily result in catastrophic or fatal injuries to occupants of other vehicles. Because the damages associated with a truck accident can be so extensive, it’s especially important for the injured and their families to be aware of the personal injury legal protections available to them.
Significant damage
Commercial trucks are significantly larger than passenger vehicles they share the roadways with. For that reason, they can do significant damage when they collide with a smaller car or truck. When a negligent truck driver causes a truck accident, they may be liable to compensate victims for the harm they suffered including their physical, financial and emotional damages. In many cases, the truck driver’s employer may also be held liable. This makes personal injury cases involving truck accidents more complex than cases involving other types of vehicles.
Common causes
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, some common causes of truck accidents include: a truck driver’s unfamiliar with the roadway; a truck driver driving too fast for roadway conditions; a truck driver performing an illegal maneuver; truck driver inattention; truck driver fatigue; truck driver illness or medication use; and driver distraction by an object outside the truck or something inside the truck. There can be many other causes of truck accidents as well.
If the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company causes a truck accident, victims may be left picking up the pieces. Victims may experience physical, financial and emotional struggles associated with the truck accident. A personal injury claim for damages against the truck driver or trucking company may be able to assist in ensuring the victim has the help and resources they need through the recovery process and beyond.