Trucking Accidents: 20 Accidental & Negligent Causes

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are thousands of fatalities, serious injuries, and property damage cases annually due to trucking accidents.¹ Victims and their loved ones face devastating physical, emotional, and financial challenges as a result of such accidents. From treatment to rehabilitation, and from claims to compensation, there are many aspects that require attention post-accident. This can be particularly strenuous when one or more parties are at fault.

Hiring legal counsel after a trucking accident is common and can be highly beneficial in a number of ways. These include the fact that many legal considerations associated with trucking accidents are simply not obvious to the general public. One of the most important of these is liability. In many instances, two or more parties involved in a trucking accident are at fault.

Accident reconstruction specialists and expert witnesses often work together with experienced trucking accident lawyers and their legal teams. These specialists and experts work to find evidence and provide facts used to build trucking accident cases. Their overall goal is to develop a solid case when a trucking accident has occurred in order to secure fair compensation for you, prove shared liability (or both), and provide needed resources.

The following are twenty (20) causes of trucking accidents:

Faulty brakes or other faulty vehicle parts

Improper equipment

Improperly installed parts of equipment

Flying debris (rocks, branches, tire belts, etc.)

Driver error (truck driver or others)

Slick roads (due to water, snow, oil, gravel, etc.)

Texting

Other distractions (watching tv, playing games, etc.)

Tire blowouts

Headlight, brake light, or other light-related problems/outages

Speeding

Driving too slowly

Drug or alcohol use

Heart attacks or other health-related occurrences

High winds and/or wind gusts

Storms/hail/heavy rain

Falling asleep

Birds or animals

Improper cargo loading/weight

Unsecured locks and loads

One of the most important considerations in trucking accidents is insurance coverage. As more than one party involved in a trucking accident may be at fault, there may be multiple insurance claims. Skilled lawyers and legal teams are experienced in dealing with insurance companies to maximize compensation for trucking accident victims.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a trucking accident, contacting an experienced lawyer or legal team for an initial consultation is an important step. It is helpful to research information about lawyers who specialize in Trucking Accidents, or if possible, who specialize in the particular type of trucking accident case you may be dealing with.

Many lawyers and legal teams offer free initial consultations. At Mallard & Sharp, P.A., we specialize in a wide variety of cases. To schedule a free initial consultation with our expert legal team call 877.662.5527 or 305.461.4800.

¹ https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2018