Call them what you want – trucks, big rigs, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, MAC trucks, semi-trucks – we see them on the roads every day.
- The Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that, in 2010, Florida had the 3rd most trucking accident related fatalities, behind only California and Texas.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, there were 3,921 people killed and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks on the roads of our country in 2012.
According to the same numbers, less than a quarter of the people killed or injured in truck-versus-car accidents were inside the truck. That means that the vast majority of people who are the victims of these accidents were just like you and me, traveling the roads in our regular cars.
If you are the victim of a trucking accident there are many challenges that you will face when making a claim for the compensation you or a loved one deserve.
The Challenges of Trucking Accidents – Who is liable?
One of the greatest challenges is figuring out who is liable, or responsible, for your injuries. There is a list of possible suspects when dealing with a trucking accident. Because the vast majority of trucking accidents are the result of driver error, the driver of the truck is the first party that you will look at. But the list does not end there.
More often than not, the person driving does not own the truck, and the owner themselves are also responsible for your injuries. In many situations, the truck is leased from the owner by a company or individual, who then hires the driver, and perhaps they also owe you for your injuries, pain, and suffering. In cases where equipment failure caused the accident, the manufacturer could be the at-fault party.
Finally, the company shipping the goods in the truck may have a part in the claim as well. This list is just an example of some of the possible players involved in a trucking accident – there could very well be others, depending on the facts.
The Challenges of Trucking Accidents – Who caused the accident?
This leads to the second greatest challenge in trucking accidents: what caused the accident? Once you have identified the list of people or companies that may be at-fault for the accident, how do you determine everybody’s role in things? That’s where experts come in to play.
Individuals trained in accident reconstruction can help break down how the accident happened – where were the cars, did anyone apply the brakes, is there data in either vehicle that can be obtained, how fast was each car going, and so on. Breaking down the chain of events will help identify who is on the hook for having caused your injuries.
Here at Michles & Booth, our trucking accident attorneys and staff are trained to identify the potential sources of coverage to make sure that you are made whole for the injuries you suffered in a trucking accident. With accident reconstruction experts on staff, we have the unique ability to break down the accident, identify the responsible parties, and go after them to get you what you deserve. Don’t try and fight the trucking industry and insurance companies alone. Call us about your trucking accident case.
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