Commercial truck accidents are statistically more severe in both deaths and personal injuries for many reasons, including the massive size and weight of these vehicles, especially when they are full of cargo. Victims who have been injured in a crash should contact a Virginia truck accident attorney to ensure they get the financial compensation they are entitled to for the losses they have suffered.
Truck Company Responsibilities
There are many reasons why truck accidents occur. Unfortunately, one of the more common contributing factors to these devastating crashes is that the trucking companies who own these vehicles are in the business to make profits. Any delays in the pickup and delivery cuts into those profits, so many companies ignore or skirt safety regulations. One of the most frequent of these ignored regulations is the number of hours truck drivers are allowed to be on the road.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA), the agency that oversees carrier companies, a driver is only allowed to operate their vehicles for so many hours, as well as how many required hours of rest time they must have between those hours on the road. Truck drivers are supposed to keep a detailed log of their driving hours. However, due to the pressure they feel from the companies they work for, many truck drivers admit to falsifying these logbooks – all to avoid delaying the delivery and cutting into the company’s profit.
A fatigued truck driver is a dangerous truck driver. Fatigued driving is one of the major causes of crashes, especially in commercial truck accidents. Other common causes include:
- The truck driver was speeding
- The truck driver was engaged in distracted driving behaviors
- The truck driver was inexperienced and/or did not have enough training
- The truck driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Failure of the trucking company to maintain the truck
Who Is Liable?
If you have been injured in a truck accident or have lost a loved one, pursuing financial justice is your right under Virginia law. The first step is to determine who is liable for the crash. While the truck driver is often the at-fault party, your attorney will determine if the driver was employed by a trucking company at the time of the crash.
Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident caused by a negligent or reckless truck driver, contact a seasoned Virginia truck accident attorney. Truck accidents can be more complex than other types of motor vehicle accidents because depending on the circumstances of the crash, there may be multiple parties who are liable for a victim’s injuries.
Victims of truck accidents may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and benefits, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, permanent disability, scarring, disfigurement, and more.
Our Virginia personal injury law firm has successfully represented many clients who were injured in truck accidents and will use all available resources to aggressively advocate for you and your family in obtaining the financial compensation you deserve. Call Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp today to schedule a free case evaluation. With more than three decades of legal experience behind us, we will get you the best possible outcome based on the circumstances of your case.
RELATED CONTENT
For over twenty years, Mr. Sharp's law practice has focused on serious personal injury claims, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury claims. He also handles nursing home neglect cases and medical malpractice claims. Mr. Sharp has counseled numerous clients about the complexities concerning litigation of both pediatric and adult brain injury. Mr. Sharp has been awarded the AV Preeminent ranking by Martindale, the highly respected and widely utilized directory of lawyers throughout the world. AV Preeminent status is awarded only to those lawyers who achieve the highest level of success within the legal field and is a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers and Judges rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. He has also been recognized as a "Best Lawyer" by U.S. News for personal injury, an accolade awarded to only a small fraction of lawyers. Mr. Sharp has also been recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Virginia. This recognition is awarded only to those lawyers who have achieved the highest level of success and have been recognized by their peers as demonstrating the highest level of professional excellence.
Comments for this article are closed.