According to the Ohio State Patrol, there were 152 truck accident fatalities in 2019 and 132 in 2020 across the state. Nationally, nearly 4,136 people lost their lives in fatal truck accidents in 2018. Nearly three-quarters of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents involve a large truck, with tire defects causing almost one-third of all truck-related accidents. In addition to those killed in semi-truck accidents, about 130,000 people suffer from serious injuries following a truck accident.
Even though large commercial trucks only account for about 4.3 percent of the vehicles on the roadways, they account for 11 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths. If you have been involved in a semi-truck accident, it can be extremely beneficial for you to speak to the semi-truck accident attorneys in New Miami from Kruger & Hodges.
What are the Most Common Causes of Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys in New Miami?
As with car accidents, distracted driving is one of the top causes of truck accidents across the U.S. Distractions include talking on a cell phone, texting or reading texts, eating a meal while driving, driving while drowsy or impaired, changing radio stations, setting a GPS device, or talking with a passenger while driving. Drivers may also be driving recklessly, carelessly, or at excessive speeds.
If the trucking company hired an inexperienced truck driver, neglected to ensure the driver was properly trained or did not perform a thorough background check on the driver, then the trucking company may bear some of the liability. The truck driver may also have been aware that the driver had exceeded his or her hours and should not have been behind the wheel. In some instances, shifting or falling cargo causes a truck accident.
The maintenance company may be held liable if they did not properly maintain the truck, particularly the brakes and tires. Finally, if a defective truck part caused the accident, then your attorney may also file a product liability claim against the manufacturer or the truck or the truck part. Experienced semi-truck accident attorneys in New Miami will determine who is liable for your injuries after conducting a thorough investigation of the accident.
What are the Most Common Injuries Following a Semi-Truck Accident?
Injuries following a semi-truck accident are often severe, even catastrophic. Broken bones may be so severe that amputation of a limb is necessary or there may be chemical burns if the truck was hauling hazardous waste, or a fire resulted from the accident. Vision loss, disfigurement, neck and back injuries, and crush injuries all occur in a semi-truck accident
Catastrophic injuries are those that will require a lifetime of treatments, surgical interventions, and rehabilitative therapies. Spinal cord injuries fall into this category, as do traumatic brain injuries. Those with a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury often face a life that is dramatically different from the life they had prior to the truck accident. Traumatic brain injuries can result in cognitive deficits, an inability to perform even the simplest tasks, emotional issues, and significant personality changes. Those who have been severely injured in a semi-truck accident in New Miami need serious help from serious attorneys who understand what the future now looks like for these victims.
How Can Semi-Truck Accidents Be Prevented?
On the truck driver’s side, never driving recklessly, always getting plenty of rest prior to an 11-hour driving shift, never driving while impaired, and always paying attention to the road other drivers is essential to preventing accidents. The speed limit should always be obeyed, and hours of service should not be exceeded. Trucking companies must make sure the drivers they put on the roadways are properly trained and experienced and have a clean background check.
Other drivers need to understand that the truck driver has several blind spots that prevent him or her from seeing the much smaller car. Drivers of passenger vehicles should also leave plenty of room between their vehicle and the truck, as it can take a fully loaded truck a significant amount of time to come to a complete stop in the event of an emergency.
How Can You Choose the Best Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys in New Miami?
Choosing the best semi-truck accident attorneys in New Miami does not have to be difficult. You can narrow your search to include those attorneys who have significant experience with large truck accidents. The injuries and damage from a truck accident are typically much worse than the damage from a “regular” auto accident. The trucking industry is regulated differently, and there can be multiple liable parties.
These are all issues that your attorney must have significant experience in dealing with in order to get you the best settlement possible. Along with experience, you must have a certain level of trust in your attorney, who will have access to lots of your personal information. You never want an attorney who talks down to you and you do want an attorney who will look out for your best interests and fight for your rights and your future.
How the Kruger & Hodges Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys in New Miami Can Help
If you have been involved in a New Miami semi-truck accident, you may be severely injured and unsure of how to get the help you need. Once you have been medically checked out, we hope you will reach out to the Kruger & Hodges semi-truck accident attorneys in New Miami. We will immediately begin investigating the circumstances and facts of your accident since trucking companies usually employ skilled lawyers and investigators who will attempt to keep you from getting the settlement you deserve. Contact the Kruger & Hodges semi-truck accident attorneys in New Miami to discuss your truck accident and your options.
