Category: Trucking Accident

Trucking Accidents Lawyers Austin

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Trucking Accidents Lawyers Austin

Truck Driver Accidents

Truck drivers have specific responsibilities as drivers who share the road with the occupants of smaller, much more vulnerable vehicles. According to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, 12 percent of all the fatalities on the roads in the U.S. occur in truck accidents. In these crashes, the passengers of cars are 98 percent more likely to be killed than the truck driver. The damage an 18-wheeler or big rig—which may weigh between 10,000 and 80,000 pounds—can inflict on a 3,000-pound automobile and its occupants is devastating. The federal government regulates truck drivers. More about our Truck Accident Attorneys Austin here
The federal government has recognized the unique danger posed by commercial trucks. To assure the safe driving of truckers and to protect other drivers, it has established the following regulations:

Sufficient screening of truck drivers, including drug tests and background checks
Sufficient initial training and ongoing training
Instruction in proper loading and unloading methods
The administration of periodic drug tests
Restriction of the number of hours a driver can work per day (6) in 7 days
Requiring drivers to keep structured logs, take rests at certain intervals, and abide by all traffic laws, truck drivers must cooperate after a truck driver injury.

Some regulations and procedures specify a truck driver’s duties after an accident. After a trucker injury, the truck driver and his company are required by law to provide proof of insurance, to cooperate with law enforcement officials, and to allow for an investigation of the above-stated regulations. You need an experienced truck driver injury attorney to help you navigate these complex issues. A truck driver injury attorney can help you reach a fair settlement.

The skilled trucker injury lawyers of our Law Firm will demand access to the truck’s log — in which the driver must keep a structured record of driving hours, times of deliveries, and weight loads.

Our truck Accident injury lawyers will also request that the trucking company provide legal access to the trucker’s training, driving, and drug testing records. We collect evidence at the scene of the accident, work with experts to understand the cause, and file claims against the responsible parties. Given the unique dangers posed by large trucks and the seriousness of trucker injuries and elsewhere, commercial truck drivers are responsible for following all traffic laws and all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. If you or a loved one has been involved in or has questions about a trucking accident, please call the Law Office. We can help obtain trucker injury compensation. More on this Web-Page

More Great 18 Wheeler Accident Blogs Here
https://www.texastruckaccidentattorneys.com/truck-accident-attorneys-personal-injury-lawyers/
https://truckaccidentattorneysa.com/big-rigs-and-teenagers-in-traffic/
https://laredotruckaccidentlawyer.com/direct-negligence-of-an-18-wheeler-operator/
https://www.truck-accident-injury.com/trucking-insurers-fight-hard-to-deny-your-claim/
https://www.truck-accident-injury-lawyers.com/self-insured-companies-or-independent-truckers/
https://www.commercial-truck-accident-lawyer.com/tractor-trailer-truck-accident-victims/
https://www.commercial-truck-accident-lawyers.com/personal-injury-lawyers-truck-accidents/
https://www.truck-accident-injury-lawyer.com/damages-you-can-seek-after-a-serious-flatbed-trucking-accident/
https://www.truck-accident-injury-law.com/18-wheeler-accident-lawyers/
https://www.big-rig-truck-accident-lawyers.com/who-is-to-blame-for-your-damages-and-pain/
https://www.accident-lawyers-dallas.com/18-wheeler-accident-lawyers/
https://austin-auto-accident.com/trucking-companies-and-their-insurance/

Oklahoma City Trucking accident Settlements & Verdicts

Our representative verdicts and settlements include:

Our client obtained a settlement in excess of a case where a truck drove into the rear of a family pick-up that had slowed for traffic. The mother and child suffered minor injuries, and the father suffered a three level lumbar disc injury.

In a confidential settlement, we successfully recovered on behalf of a family whose vehicle was struck by wheels that fell off a tractor-trailer on the interstate. One passenger suffered a severe lower limb fracture, and the others also suffered significant injuries.

On behalf of the parents of a young child who died after their car was hit by a truck that continued driving after running off the entry ramp to an interstate in a snowstorm, we recovered the entire liability policy of $1,000,000 plus a settlement for additional personal contribution from the truck owner.

RESOLVED Oklahoma truck accident settlements

Our client was the driver of an oil field delivery truck, stopped on the interstate for traffic. His day rig was struck by a long-haul semi tractor-trailer. He suffered neck injury resulting in surgery.

Our client was a semi driver asleep in his cab at a truck stop. Another semi tractor-trailer began leaving the adjacent parking place. It turned too soon dragging its trailer into the cab of our client’s semi. He was injured as he was jostled about inside the cab, suffering a non-surgical back injury.

Our client was driving on a state highway when a semi tractor-trailer, stopping for fuel, turned in front of her. She suffered back injury that resulted in surgery.

Our client’s husband was driving a delivery van along a state highway in the Oklahoma panhandle. He attempted to pass a pick-up hauling road equipment when it turned left in front of him. Our client’s husband was killed.

Our client suffered a low back injury resulting in surgery when his semi tractor-trailer struck the rear of a semi tractor trailer which was entering the interstate. Our client could not move into the passing lane because it was occupied.

Truck accident settlements in Oklahoma

Our client was injured when his pick-up was struck in the rear by a semi tractor-trailer while trying to exit the highway. He suffered injury to three lumbar discs, which were non-surgical because of the number of discs involved.

Our client was injured when a farmer pulled his trailer in front of her as he entered the highway from a private drive. She suffered cartilage injury to her knee that required a total knee replacement.

Our client was a new graduate from truck driving school who had been driving for less than a week. He driving his rig with his training driver and was rear-ended by another semi tractor-trailer. Our client had to undergo lumbar surgery.

Our client was an elderly woman who was injured when a semi tractor-trailer struck a passenger car traveling in the opposite direction, pushing it into her path. She suffered injury to her knees, which is expected to result in her eventual need for knee replacement surgery. It was discovered that there were irregularities in the drug tests of the operator of the semi tractor-trailer.

Our client suffered elbow injuries when his pick-up slid off the road because of ice on the roadway. Dump trucks had been hauling river-bed rock from a nearby property and water had been spilling from the bed onto the road and freezing.

Trucking accident settlements in Oklahoma
Our client suffered lumbar and cervical injuries requiring surgery when his Firebird was rear-ended by a semi tractor-trailer at a roadway construction

A young child was killed when a semi tractor-trailer operator drove off the road while trying to turn onto an on-ramp to enter an interstate highway. Rather than get stuck in the snow, the semi continued to drive across the snow covered grass to the interstate, hitting a family car. (Policy limits plus contribution)

Our client suffered a severe broken leg when a semi tractor-trailer lost a set of trailer wheels while traveling along an interstate.

Our clients were the family of two undocumented aliens who were installing cross-over cable along a highway. They were killed when a wheel came off of a trailer being pulled by a pick-up.

Oklahoma City Trucking Accidents Overview

Commercial trucks are significantly larger than passenger vehicles and have a limited field of vision. As a result, accidents involving a truck and a passenger vehicle often result in catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. For more information about trucking accidents in Oklahoma City, please see our frequently asked questions page.

Causes of Truck Accidents in Oklahoma City

Many factors can contribute to causing an Oklahoma City truck accident. Some of the most common causes include but are not limited to:

  • A wheel coming off and hitting another vehicle or causing the truck to swerve into another vehicle
  • Driver fatigue or sleeping at the wheel
  • Unlicensed, improperly licensed, or inexperienced driver
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • An oversized, overweight, or improperly loaded cargo
  • Driving too fast for road conditions or speeding
  • Poorly maintained equipment, such as brakes, lights, reflectors, or other safety mechanisms
  • Federal Regulation regarding Trucking Accidents
  • Any vehicle engaged in interstate commerce must comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

These requirements include but are not limited to:

  • A driver may only drive 11 hours over any 14-hour period, followed by ten straight rest hours
  • Drivers and trucking companies must maintain log books, fuel receipts, and other trip documentation for at least six months, and vehicle maintenance records for at least one year
  • Employers must do a background check on each driver, including verifying the past three years of driving experience
  • Maintain minimum insurance coverage, which varies between $750,000 and $5,000,000 depending on the type of cargo and size of the truck

Time is of the Essence when dealing with Oklahoma City truck accidents

Unfortunately, sometimes truck drivers and employers fail to comply with federal regulations, and many of these regulations are easy for drivers and their employers to adjust after an accident. For example, a trucking company might perform maintenance immediately following an accident to make it appear as though the vehicle had been maintained all along. Log books can also be altered or forged, especially if the accident happened because the driver was driving at a time he or she should have been resting. A knowledgeable Oklahoma City trucking accident attorney can investigate the circumstances of your accident to discover the true cause.

A growing trend is to place an electronic control module (ECM) or “black box” device inside trucks that records important information about the truck that could help prove your case. However, many of these devices only record information for a certain period, meaning that the data that would help your case may become lost. The trucking company could also potentially destroy the data.

Oklahoma City Semi Truck Accidents

If you are in an Oklahoma City semi truck accident you must hire a skilled and competent attorney. Sharing the road with 18-wheelers can be nerve-wracking. A typical fender-bender with another passenger car, while annoying, is almost never life-threatening. However, the slightest amount of contact with a truck can result in a horrendous accident. Contact  semi truck accident lawyer if you have been involved in a semi truck accident.

Ways to avoid an Oklahoma City semi truck accident:

Stay away from trucks: The first tip for avoiding semi truck accidents in Oklahoma City is simple: stay away from them. Always remain alert while driving and note the location of any semi trucks in your vicinity.

Do not tailgate: Never tailgate a semi truck driver. If the driver stops suddenly you may rear-end their semi truck. While rear-ending a passenger vehicle can cause minor injury, rear-ending a semi truck can be fatal. Additionally, if a semi truck is tailgating you, change lanes so he or she can pass you. Aggressive truck drivers who tailgate can cause serious semi truck accidents in Oklahoma City.

Drive defensively, not offensively: When you are driving you should always be attentive and focused on the road and other drivers around you. Rather than driving aggressively, remain alert and respond to the actions of other drivers.

Obey the speed limit: Speeding is not only illegal but it can also increase your chances of being involved in a semi truck accident in Oklahoma City. By obeying the speed limit you will be able to react quickly to semi trucks around you.

Report reckless drivers: If a truck in front of you is driving recklessly do not hesitate in reporting them. Careless or negligent drivers are not only hazardous to you, but also to other drivers on the road.

Make sure the semi truck driver can see you: If you must pass a semi truck driver, make eye contact with him or her in the side view mirror of the truck. Trucks have large blind spots and often have difficulty spotting passenger cars that are coming alongside them. If you suffer an injury from a negligent truck driver, contact a semi truck accident attorney in Oklahoma City immediately.