3 Common Causes Of Semi-Truck Accidents

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If you were involved in an accident with a semi-truck and suffered major injuries and losses because of this, you should immediately hire a truck accident attorney. Truck accident attorneys know the laws in your state relating to truck accidents, and they will know how to help you prove that the accident was not your fault. Your attorney will look into every aspect of the accident to look for reasons the accident took place. Here are three common accident reasons that may help you win your case.

Trucking Law Violations

The U.S. has trucking laws for several reasons, but safety is the main one. These laws must be followed by all truck drivers and trucking companies; however, there are many times they are not. When companies or drivers break the laws and accidents happen, innocent people can suffer.

Your lawyer will look into these laws to see if the driver or company violated any of them:

• Hours of driving – According to the Truckers Report, a truck driver can drive for 11 hours straight; however, he or she must take at least 10 hours off after that. There are also rules relating to how many hours a person can drive during an entire week or certain period of time. If the truck driver that hit your car had driven for a period of time longer than this, you could easily use this information to win your case.
• Weight limits – The U.S. Department of Transportation is responsible for setting rules regarding weight limits of trucks. While the rules vary depending on the size of the truck, weighing 80,000 pounds total is the maximum a truck can weigh.
• License – Every person that drives a semi must also have the proper driver's license in order to do this. If the truck driver involved in your accident didn't have the proper license, you may have an easier time proving your case.

Truck accident lawyers will often look for these types of issues before they begin investigating other problems that may have contributed to the accident.

Driver Issues

Even if the truck driver was complying with the laws relating to the hours he or she can drive, the driver may have violated other regulations. One example of this is taking medication, drugs, or alcohol. These three items can impair a person's judgment and driving abilities, and the driver of the truck should be tested for these things right after the accident. If the driver was tested and if the test revealed any of these substances in his or her blood, your lawyer will use this information in the case he or she is preparing.

Fatigue is another reason accidents happen, but this one can be harder to prove. In addition, the driver of the truck may also have been distracted when the accident took place, and even minor distractions can lead to trouble. This includes the following types of distractions:

• Talking on the phone
• Texting someone
• Looking something up on a phone
• Looking at a map
• Talking on the radio
• Reading something

Your lawyer will look for any evidence that may prove that the driver was distracted during this time.

Truck System Failures

The other common cause of trucking accidents involves problems with the trucks. If a trucking company does not properly maintain and repair the trucks, they may not be safe for use. Common problems with trucks can include issues with the brakes or tires.

There could also be a combination of a truck problem and one of the other issues listed here. For example, if the brakes on the truck were worn out and if the load was overweight, the driver may have had a harder time stopping the vehicle, leading to an accident.

If you would like to take action against the truck driver that hit your vehicle, talk to a truck accident attorney. You may be able to get a free consultation with an attorney, and this would offer a chance for you to learn more about your rights and options.

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13 February 2015