om the 2018 Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables presented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the national statistics for police-reported accidents totaled 6,734,000. From that same report, the tables referring to large truck crashes had a total of 531,000 crashes. We should not consider these values a consistent percentage of accidents caused by semi-trucks from year to year. The values do change, but it does provide an idea of how frequently a large truck is involved in an auto accident.
The Causes of Truck Accidents
In some regards, accidents involving semi-trucks occur for similar reasons as any car accident. Causes could include:
- Speeding
- Intoxication
- Distraction
- Reckless behavior
There are some exceptions, though. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a common cause for accidents involving semi-trucks is stopping distance. As a larger, heavier vehicle, semi trucks need 20 to 40 percent more time and distance to come to a complete stop, which does not take road and weather conditions or truck maintenance into account. Each of those factors can increase stopping distance.
The IIHS also attributes driver fatigue as another possible cause. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours of service regulations limit a driver’s hours of operation to 11 hours on the road followed by 10 hours off duty. IIHS points out that some surveys have shown that some semi-truck drivers worked past the regulated hours.
The Injuries Suffered in Semi-Truck Accidents
Due to their size and weight, semi-truck accidents tend to be more catastrophic in nature. For example, of the 4,136 people killed in large truck accidents in 2018, 2,786 of the victims were occupants in passenger vehicles, according to IIHS. Injuries could include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Joint injuries
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement
- Lost bodily functions
- Internal bleeding or organ failure
- Cuts, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises
- Burn injuries
The Liable Parties in a Semi-Truck Accident
Semi-trucks are also handled differently due to liability. There are numerous people and entities involved in the shipping of goods and services. Each party has a degree of responsibility with the operation of the truck, not just the driver. Those additional parties include:
- The driver if he or she was directly negligent
- The truck owner and/or the trucking company if they knowingly violated regulations
- The truck or parts manufacturer if a defective part was the cause
- The mechanic if the truck was poorly maintained
- The municipality if the road themselves were poorly maintained
Recoverable Damages After a Semi-Truck Accident
Following a semi-truck accident, you may be facing a great deal. You may have extensive medical bills with little money left after covering your day to day bills while being out of work. You may be suffering from physical and emotional pain. Thankfully, you can recover compensation to cover these losses, usually referred to as damages. Some of the damages you could recover include:
- Lost wages
- Reduced earnings capacity
- Medical expenses, such as surgeries and assistive equipment
- Property damage
- Diminished quality of life
- Mental distress, such as depression and anxiety
- Permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket costs
If you lost a loved one, please accept our condolences. Though money cannot replace them, you can obtain compensation to cover such things as:
- Burial and funeral costs
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of support and protection
Proving Negligence in a Semi-Truck Accident Claim
To obtain compensation for your losses, you will need to show negligence. There are four criteria to prove negligence. Those four are:
- Duty of care: the expectation of safety and professionalism
- Breach of duty: when a party fails to provide that expectation
- Causation: the resulting accident from the failure
- Damages: the injuries and losses resulting from the accident
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC Today
If you or a family member have suffered injuries in a large truck accident, you deserve compensation for your losses. The lawyers with Ben Crump Law, PLLC can assist you with building a claim to present to the insurance companies representing the responsible parties in your truck accident. If necessary, we will even take your claim to court. Do not be intimidated by the burdens before you. We take on tough cases like yours.
To learn more about truck accidents and the percentage of accidents caused by semi-trucks, call (800) 235-0444 for a free case review with a member of our team. You should not have to suffer any further for the negligence of others. The negligent party should pay for your recovery, not you. Our goal is to obtain a fair settlement agreement or court award on your behalf. To that, we work on contingency. We only collect attorney’s fees when you win.
Call today.
