Trucks are very large vehicles, as you already know. Because of their size and weight, when they collide with other vehicles, the consequences can be disastrous. Whenever you hear stories of trucks crashing, they nearly always involve people dying or at least being very seriously injured.
The best way to avoid being involved in truck accidents is to know what the causes are, and how to handle them when they do happen.
This post will tell you how you can handle truck accidents, then move on to what the main causes of them are.
Legal Representation
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After a truck accident, you need legal representation. Unlike in accidents involving two cars, truck accident claims are usually made through the civil court, rather than to an insurance agency. This is because the victims of truck accidents typically sue the company that the truck driver was working for. According to the Blumenshine Law Group truck accident attorneys, specialist truck accident lawyers will have the experience to help you to get the results that you need. Only a specialist truck accident lawyer will be able to represent you in court and get you your compensation.
Taking Evidence
If you have been unfortunate enough to be involved in a truck accident, then you need to know that evidence is everything. You should try to get as much evidence on the scene of the accident as you possibly can. The best type of evidence in a personal injury lawsuit is photographic. If you can, take photos of the truck that hit you, or alternatively, ask passengers or even bystanders to take photos and then send them to you.
Having Patience
Patience is everything. Compensation claims aren’t made overnight. In fact, compensation claims that have to go through the courts can take months or years to resolve. If you are making a claim against a trucking company, then you shouldn’t expect to receive your compensation anytime soon. You will need to wait. In addition to having patience, you also need to be understanding and appreciative of your lawyer. Your lawyer will be working very hard on your behalf, so make sure that you don’t put too much pressure on them and respect the fact that they have other cases they are handling, too.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Distracted Driving
The most common cause of truck accidents is distracted driving, so always be weary when you are driving around trucks. Because trucks are so large, small mistakes aren’t as forgiving as they are when car drivers make them. If you swerve into another person’s lane in a car, you can likely get out of the way and narrowly avoid a crash by reacting quickly; this isn’t the case with trucks.
You need to make sure that when you are driving around trucks you are cautious. If you notice that a truck is driving recklessly or if the driver appears distracted, get as far away from it as you possibly can.
Driving Under the Influence
Unfortunately, truckers also sometimes drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Trucking is not an easy profession by any means, so many truckers consume drugs or alcohol to make themselves more able to complete their jobs. However, driving under the influence is very dangerous, especially when you are behind the wheel of a giant truck.
Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether or not a truck driver’s under the influence unless they are clearly driving drunk. If you do think that a trucker is drunk then make sure to call the police and notify them of the trucker’s whereabouts.
Negligent Hiring
Negligent hiring is another common cause of truck accidents. If a trucking company doesn’t carefully vet its employees, then it could end up hiring people who aren’t qualified and who are frankly too dangerous to be behind the wheel of a truck.
Negligent hiring isn’t something that you can avoid or even have any control over. However, the best way to get negligent truckers off of the road is to report them whenever you notice them. If a trucker does something that’s dangerous, take the name of their company and the vehicle’s license plate, and get in touch with the company, giving them an account of what happened.
Driving Recklessly
Reckless driving is another common cause of truck accidents. Because truckers are usually on very strict deadlines, they sometimes drive too fast, or recklessly, so that they can get goods delivered in time. If you notice a trucker driving recklessly, then you need to make sure that you report them right away. As mentioned in the previous section you should report them to the company that they work for, and you should also report them to the police if their driving is so reckless that it is criminal.
Truck accidents have the potential to be fatal. Because of this, you need to avoid them, and take them very seriously if you are ever involved in one, even if you aren’t hurt. Make sure to report the trucker responsible for injuring you, and also to make a claim for compensation.
