Commercial trucks are an essential and indispensable part of our economy. Without them, we cannot have access to everything that we take for granted, such as food and other goods we use or enjoy in life. But just as trucks are essential and indispensable to the economy, these large commercial trucks can also be dangerous on the roads.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over a recent six-year period, injury crashes increased 62 percent to 97,000. Furthermore, according to NHTSA data, large truck and bus injury crashes increased even more to 127,000 in 2019.
The reality is that these truck crashes can happen to anyone, and they can result in serious injury. Following a truck accident, it is critical to seek medical care and then speak with a San Francisco truck accident lawyer from the Cartwright Law Firm about your rights.
Common Causes of Bay Area Truck Accidents
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Fatigue: Under both federal and state law, truck drivers are allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours in a 24-hour period. The expectation is the drivers are to get rest and sleep during their off time, but many do not, and instead resume driving with not enough sleep or rest. This becomes a problem because when a driver is behind the wheel while fatigued, the chances are they will not be alert enough to focus and may even fall asleep at the wheel, guaranteeing an accident.
- Speeding: Commercial trucks are not allowed to drive faster than 65 miles per hour, and in some areas, those speeds are reduced to not more than 60 or 55 miles per hour. These stricter speed limits are designed to reduce accidents involving speeding, especially for trucks that are heavier and require more space to stop. However, truck drivers routinely fail to adhere to these posted speed limits for various reasons, including tight delivery schedules. When a truck accident involving a speeding semi-trailer occurs, the outcome is often even more serious or deadly than usual.
- Mechanical failure: Federal and state regulations require that commercial trucks are put through regular inspection and maintenance to ensure that the truck is safe before being operated. Failure to maintain these trucks as required can lead to mechanical or equipment failure, including tire blowouts and broken brakes, which inevitably lead to serious accidents.
- Blind spots: Although all motor vehicles have blind spots, large trucks have even more and bigger blind spots. A blind spot is that part of the road or area where the driver cannot see on their rear and side mirrors. Although drivers are advised not to drive within a truck’s blind spots, it is still the responsibility of the truck driver to safely change lanes, merge, or turn, but many fail to do this, leading to accidents.
- Load Shift. Federal regulations are very specific in how a truck should be loaded and how the loaded cargo must be secured. This is because poorly loaded and not properly secured cargo can shift around during transit. When the cargo shifts abruptly, the movement can cause the driver to lose control of the truck, causing an accident. Rollover accidents are typically caused by this carelessness in not properly loading and securing cargo.
Pursuing a Truck Accident Personal Injury Claim
When a truck accident occurs, a thorough investigation might be conducted by both the FMCSA and state and county police, who will gather evidence to determine what caused the crash. The investigation typically includes taking pictures of the accident scene, taking witness statements, and documenting the scene in all other ways that can help in understanding what happened.
One of the decisions that must be made is who victims should file a claim against, as there are potentially multiple parties that could be held responsible for the accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, or a truck manufacturer. Another decision that must be made is whether to settle your case – meaning whether to accept what is offered by those who are responsible for the accident as monetary compensation or take the case to court.
For this and other reasons, if you are the victim of a truck accident, you should secure the services of an experienced San Francisco truck accident attorney who can secure and protect your rights.
Things You Can Do to Maximize Compensation
To make sure you obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries, you should do the following, among other things:
- Contact the police. To this extent, you can contact the police by calling 911. The police will prepare and file an accident report that can be used as evidence when you pursue your personal injury claim.
- Document the Accident Scene. Although the police on the scene will investigate the accident, it is important for you to document the scene as well to the extent you can. You should take pictures using your cellphone or another camera. Take photos of the damage (inside and outside) of both cars, street signs, road conditions, and surrounding areas for one to have a full understanding of what happened.
- Get Medical Treatment. Even if you have no visible injuries and don’t believe you have been injured from the accident, it is important to immediately contact a medical professional to make a proper assessment because some of the injuries could manifest long after the accident.
- Obtain and Keep Medical Records. You should obtain and keep all copies of your medical records, including diagnosis, medical expenses, and everything you have gone through, such as pain and suffering, which you should document in a journal describing the experience.
- Property Damage. Obtain a quote on the cost of what it cost to repair or replace your vehicle from a qualified mechanic.
Consult with a San Francisco, CA Truck Accident Attorney
If you have been injured in a truck accident in the Bay area, you need the services of an experienced truck accident lawyer from The Cartwright Law Firm who will make sure your rights are protected and that you receive maximum compensation for your injuries. Having one of our San Francisco personal injury lawyers on your side will relieve the burden of worrying about the monetary aspect of your case while you concentrate on recovering from your injuries. Contact us today for a free case review.
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