Truck Accidents in West Elkton
Large commercial trucks are part of our economy. We need them to carry our products and goods across the country. While trucks are necessary, they can also be dangerous. If you get into an accident with a truck the consequences could be devastating. Truck accidents occur with some frequency and when they do, the injuries are more likely to be life-threatening. Truck accident fatalities occur more often than fatalities in other types of crashes. West Elkton is a very small community, but we travel the nearby roads and highways very often. Truck accidents in West Elkton may happen because we share the roads with big rigs on a daily basis.
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Causes of Truck Crashes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) studied truck crashes to determine what caused them. They determined that there are both causes and contributing factors in truck accidents. They categorize these into three main types including:
- Driver causes
- Mechanical malfunctions
- Outside conditions
Driver mistakes are the most common cause of truck crashes. Driver errors include such things as speeding, failure to obey traffic signals, fatigue, distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, inexperience, and others. The FMCSA found the top five types of truck accidents are rear-end collisions, lane problems, sideswipes, rollovers, and turning.
The most common types of truck malfunctions are brake problems and tire blowouts. Outside conditions that cause or contribute to truck accidents in West Elkton and elsewhere include snow and ice, rain, visibility, and road conditions. These types of factors may contribute to truck accidents. For example, a fatigued truck driver runs into a snowstorm and fails to slow down on the highway and hits a car. There are likely several factors that contributed to or directly caused the accident.
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Why Truck Accidents in West Elkton Are Complex
Truck accidents are more complex than other types of accidents. Truck crashes are usually more severe than other types of crashes and result in more serious injuries and fatalities.
There is quite a bit of information that you will need to gather after a truck accident, and it is not always easy to obtain. It is critical to get access to the electronic logging device (ELD). This data provides a lot of details such as how long the driver was behind the wheel and what was happening at the time of the crash. You will also want to view the truck’s maintenance log to verify that the truck was in good operating condition.
Another important factor in truck accidents is determining the cause of the crash. You will need to show how the accident happened so you can prove negligence. There are many ways to get information about the crash including witnesses and drivers, video footage, and evaluating the vehicle damage. In some cases, it is helpful to reconstruct the accident. Professional accident reconstruction will show what occurred immediately before, during, and after the crash.
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Injuries that Result from Truck Accidents
Unfortunately, when a large truck runs into a smaller vehicle, the smaller vehicle will take the brunt of the hit. Common serious injuries in motorcycle crashes are:
- Whiplash
- Head trauma
- Back and spine injuries
- Crush injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Lacerations and contusions
Truck accidents may result in being trapped inside a crushed vehicle. The rescue squad may need to use the jaws of life to remove you from the twisted wreckage. Many times, truck accident victims must be quickly transported to the nearest trauma center, sometimes by a life flight helicopter. The costs of medical care add up quickly, but the negligent party should be responsible for your medical expenses and other damages.
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Medical Expenses and Other Damages
The expenses caused by truck accidents can be extremely high. The negligent driver must pay for your medical costs and other damages. Besides medical expenses, other damages include lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, rehabilitation costs, and any other expenses that you incurred because of the accident. In order to claim compensation, you must prove that the other party was negligent. Negligence means that the driver did something that they knew or should have known could cause harm to another.
Some negligent actions are speeding, distracted driving, failure to obey traffic signals, driving while intoxicated, and others. There are four elements that prove negligence including duty, breach, causation, and damages. The driver must have had a duty to drive safely and breached that duty. The accident caused your injuries and you suffered damages as a result of the accident. Your attorney will work to gather evidence to prove your claim.
If you were seriously injured in a truck accident, seek guidance from a reputable attorney. Contact our legal team at Kruger & Hodges at (937) 733-6079 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
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