When a car driver sees a commercial truck pull up in the next lane, the driver may be understandably intimidated by the sheer size and weight of this hefty truck, as a semi accident lawyer Virginia relies on knows all too well. Commercial trucks may weigh anywhere from 10,000 to 80,000 pounds. Car drivers may do their best to steer clear of these trucks, out of concern for their own safety. Any driver who has witnessed a truck maneuvering in an unwieldy manner, has likely envisioned what would result if an accident were to happen. If a collision between a commercial truck and passenger vehicle were to occur, the car driver may suffer the very worst of injuries and financial damages.
It is important to a semi accident lawyer in Virginia at MartinWren, P.C. that those who have been hit by a commercial truck know that they may be entitled to receiving financial compensation for the accident.
In this article below, we talk about a couple of the most common elements that can contribute to commercial truck collisions.
#1 Truck Driver Fatigue
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call 434-817-3100
A major problem among truckers is truck driver fatigue. Due to the nature of the job, sometimes truckers do not get the sleep they need. Drivers may feel pressure to drive long after it is safe for them to continue driving. This could be because their pay is based on how many miles they drive, or they may have incentives to get their load delivered as quickly as possible.
There are regulations for how long a trucker can drive in one sitting, and there are hours of service rules regarding how long truck drivers can drive in a specified period of time. However, a trucker may break these rules due to the pressure of arriving at the delivery destination on-time, or they may try to make up for lost time if they had bad weather or traffic conditions that slowed their progress while driving.
Whatever the reason that a truck driver continues driving after he should stop, if a trucker become truly sleep-deprived they may doze while driving or even experience what is referred to as microsleep. These are brief moments in which a person may actually fall asleep while still “awake.” When this happens, a person may be unable to respond to external stimuli. So, if a truck driver is behind the wheel and goes into a thirty second episode of microsleep, you can imagine just what kind of disaster could unfold.
#2 Overloading Cargo
Truckers and trucking companies make their money by delivering goods on-time and in bulk. The loading team may throw in additional cargo to make their client happy, and to make a little extra money too. But, there could be grave consequence to surpassing the cargo limit of a commercial truck. If for some reason the cargo was not properly fastened, it could release out onto the roadways causing a huge accident with many vehicles involved.
Improperly secured cargo can also present a tipping hazard as trailers that do not have their cargo properly distributed could present a risk of turning over.
When to Meet with a Semi Accident Lawyer in Virginia
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
It may be time to meet with a legal professional if you or someone you love has suffered injuries and financial loss because of being hit by a commercial truck. A Virginia semi accident lawyer at MartinWren, P.C. can help you decide if filing a lawsuit is the right choice. If the trucker was at-fault for the wreck, you may be able to recover expenses related to:
- Medical bills to treat injuries
- Loss of pay from missing work to heal
- Costs for repairs or to purchase an entirely new vehicle if totaled
- Compensation for the injuries you have sustained
- Mental anguish due to the terror of being involved in a life-threatening collision with a massive tractor trailer
- Pain and suffering due to the pain you feel following a terrible crash
- Inconvenience you experience as a result of the crash or of treating the injuries you have sustained
- Disfigurement and any associated embarrassment that could result
Please reach out to an semi accident lawyer Virginia trusts at MartinWren, P.C. immediately so we can get started working on your behalf.
MartinWren, P.C.’s managing attorney Robert “Bob” Byrne Jr. is Virginia’s first and only attorney who is Board Certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. To gain this certification, Bob had to pass a mini-bar examination focusing on truck accident law, evidence law, civil procedure, and ethics. Bob also had to demonstrate substantial experience handling virtually every aspect of truck accident cases on behalf of injured individuals and families. Finally, Bob had to pass a thorough peer-review process where other attorneys and even some judges had to verify that Bob has successfully handled truck accident cases for injured parties.
Call Bob today if you would like a free consultation in a truck crash case.
Call 434-817-3100 or complete a Case Evaluation form
