Each year, more than 20,000 people die as the result of traffic accidents, and around 2 million more sustain injuries. However, one of the most common risk factors in these accidents is the type of vehicle involved. Semi truck accidents can do some of the most damage to drivers of much smaller passenger vehicles, which can lead to personal injury litigation if the collision was severe enough.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that there are an average of 11 auto accidents that involve at least one semi truck each day. In total, truck accidents kill 4,000 people each year; that figure also includes dump truck accidents and other types of large commercial vehicles. The extent of the damage can be moderate to severe in most cases, with victims experiencing everything from totaled cars and broken bones to traumatic brain injury and even death. However, injuries aren’t all: car owners frequently have completely damaged vehicles, and they may also lose their jobs and even their homes in the event that they are unable to recover quickly and pay their medical bills.
So who is to blame in these accidents? In many cases, it can come down to the trucking company. For example, many recent truck accidents are thought to be the result of faulty safety equipment on board these vehicles. According to the American Trucking Association, only around 10% of all trucks on the road have some kind of active safety technology, meaning that 90% of recent truck accidents are due to the truck’s brakes or other essential parts.
If you’ve experienced one of the recent truck accidents on the road, it is crucial to contact a semi truck accident attorney for your case. A truck accident attorney will differ from a regular car accident lawyer because he or she will understand the issues that cause trucking accidents. Personal injury attorneys also help you deal with everything from navigating your health care to working with insurance companies to help you receive a fair settlement.