While every traffic accident is serious, those involving large commercial vehicles amplify the risk of catastrophic harm and are among the deadliest on our roadways. However, truck drivers are professionals who are held to heightened safety standards. Which means if they acted negligently, they may be held liable for the injuries and losses resulting from a wreck.
If you have been injured by a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence, call a Fresno truck accident lawyer at Swift Justice, Inc. today. Our experienced personal injury attorney is here to help.
There is a range of risk factors associated with the big rigs that truckers drive.
All motorists experience blind spots in relation to their vehicles, but they are generally manageable. However, for truck drivers, significant blind spots spread across all four sides of their rigs. These create the conditions for dangerous driving accidents whenever truckers leave their lanes, make turns, or take exit or entrance ramps without the necessary care.
A fully loaded truck can weigh over 80,000 pounds, meaning that truck drivers require considerably longer stopping distances than cars. Truckers who tailgate or fail to maintain enough forward distance greatly increase the risk of dangerous rear-end accidents.
Huge 18-wheelers comprise a cab and a trailer joined by a hitch, allowing the two parts to move separately. While this allows greater ease of movement, it also means that the right conditions can cause life-threatening jackknife accidents, which tend to involve excess speed. Failing to consider the hazardous effects of adverse weather conditions is another common factor that directly relates to excess speed.
To operate a tractor-trailer safely, truck drivers must consider factors like load distribution. Taking curves or exits too quickly increases the risk of rollovers, with poorly loaded cargo potentially contributing to the terrifying effect.
It is the nature of the profession that truckers spend long hours driving. In fact, important hours-of-service regulations help counteract the dangerous effects. Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence and leads to numerous crashes every day.
Because of these risks, commercial truck drivers owe a serious duty of care to everyone on the road to operate their vehicles as safely as possible. Failure to do so can leave them liable for truck accident claims in Fresno.
Truck accidents are often a direct result of truck driver negligence, leading to legal action. Common examples include all the following:
A Fresno attorney could review the circumstances of your commercial truck accident to determine its cause and who should be held liable.
If you have been injured by a truck driver’s negligence, a Fresno attorney could help you seek compensation for your covered losses in each of the following categories:
It is essential to work with an attorney as early in the process as possible to avoid accepting a low-ball settlement offer from an insurance company whose primary goal is protecting its client’s bottom line.
A seasoned Fresno truck accident lawyer at Swift Justice, Inc., will make every effort to obtain an optimal claim resolution on your behalf. Do not delay in making your claim—it is important to your recovery. Contact us online or by phone today.
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