The experienced Tucson truck accident lawyer team at Goldberg & Osborne are ready to help serious injury victims.
Although truck accidents do not receive as much attention as car accidents, they tend to be more serious because of the size and weight of the vehicles involved. Vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds are considered trucks according to law, but some trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, compared to the average car size of 3,000 pounds. With these numbers in mind, you can imagine just how serious a truck collision can be. To complicate matters, many trucks are carrying large or hazardous loads that increase fatalities and injuries. In 2010, over 500,000 trucks were involved in accidents that resulted in 100,000 injuries and 5,000 deaths, according to research from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. These numbers are expected to increase over the next few years as truck volume is expected to rise. While much of the blame is often attributed to the truck driver, many of the accidents that occur are actually the fault of the other driver. For example, car drivers often speed around trucks or tailgate.
Causes of Truck Accidents
If the truck accident was caused by the other driver, the truck driver can recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering. There are many other factors for why the truck accident may have occurred such as driver error, failure to yield, traffic violations and following too closely. Intoxication, reckless driving, poor training and improper loading of cargo are also commonly seen with trucking accidents. Even with all of these contributing factors, fatigue is still the number one cause of driver error and most common cause of truck accidents.
For truck drivers, fatigue is a common issue, as they drive for long periods of time with little sleep. Even though truck drivers are expected to go off duty after 14 consecutive hours of driving, many drive much longer and go for days without rest. Truck drivers are not to log more than 60 hours of driving time in a one-week period. When following these driving standards, fatigue and sleepiness can be avoided.
Equipment failure is not to be overlooked either, as some trucks aren’t maintained properly. It’s up to commercial trucking companies to maintain their trucks and load the cargo properly or train drivers to load properly. When strict maintenance schedules are adhered to, accidents can be avoided as well. Components that should be checked and maintained regularly include brakes, wheels and tires, the fuel line, the chassis and the trailer hitch.
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Truck Accident Injuries
Victims of truck accidents suffer from a wide variety of ailments, some of which can be serious to fatal depending on the degree of the accident. Common injuries include brain injury, spinal injury, back injury and burns. Broken bones, cuts, bruises and lacerations are other injuries that are more treatable, but also highly common in truck accidents. Although many of these injuries can be treated, some may leave the victim paralyzed, unable to work or impaired in other ways.
Why Hire a Tucson Truck Accident Lawyer?
Truck accidents are complicated, which is why many drivers allow their cases to be handled by an experienced attorney. With the Tucson truck accident lawyer team at Goldberg & Osborne, you can be sure that your rights are protected and that you receive fair compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident, call or text G&O at (602) 808-6100 or submit a short and simple case form today to begin a free case review.