When a truck driver glances down at their phone, even if only for a few seconds, the results can be catastrophic. While traveling at highway speeds, even a momentary distraction means an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle travels the length of a football field without anyone in control.
Texting and driving truck accidents in Ventura can lead to physical, emotional, and financial hardships for victims. At Swift Justice, Inc., our attorney understands the devastating effects of these crashes and knows how to hold negligent parties accountable.
Driving a commercial truck can often mean long hours, tight deadlines, and pressure to keep dispatchers or clients informed. These demands do not excuse a driver texting, scrolling, or inputting directions while behind the wheel. The dangers of distracted driving increase with trucks due to their massive weight and size, putting everyone on the road at risk.
After being involved in a Ventura car accident caused by a truck driver’s distracted texting, you may experience a variety of consequences. You could suffer physical injuries, such as fractures, spinal cord injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. You may also suffer emotional and psychological repercussions, including anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
The financial toll of distracted driving accidents can also be immense. Medical costs, property damage, and ongoing rehabilitation can easily exceed thousands of dollars, and the loss of income from an inability to work can mean an even more dire financial strain.
Ventura truck drivers who cause accidents by texting while driving may be in violation of both state and federal laws. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration forbids truck drivers from texting while operating a commercial vehicle. Any driver who violates this rule faces thousands of dollars in fines and disqualification from operating commercial trucks in the future.
Additionally, state law prohibits drivers from holding or using handheld devices for any purpose while behind the wheel. Commercial drivers must use only hands-free or mounted devices while driving.
As the victim of a distracted driving truck accident, you have the right to pursue compensation via a personal injury claim under state law. Damages can cover both economic and non-economic losses, including emotional distress.
Even if a truck driver was texting while driving when your Ventura car accident occurred, other parties beyond the driver may share liability for the collision. The trucking company may be liable if it failed to properly train the driver or encouraged unsafe communication practices. Other parties may share liability if a vehicle defect, danger, or malfunction contributed to the crash, such as a maintenance team if they found a hazard and left it unfixed, or a manufacturer if there was a mechanical failure.
Per state law, you are still able to seek recovery even if you bear some responsibility for the accident. Under the doctrine of pure comparative negligence, your compensation will be reduced by the percentage amount of your liability. For example, if the court awards you $25,000 in damages but finds you to be 80 percent at fault, you can still recover $5,000.
Damages after texting and driving truck accidents in Ventura are relatively straightforward to prove through medical and financial records, but proving the driver’s distraction at the time of the crash can be a bit more complicated. Investigating these cases often involves evaluating phone records and black-box data before they disappear in the days following the crash.
You deserve legal representation that will secure evidence promptly and work directly with insurers for the best possible result. If you have recently been involved in a distracted driving collision, contact us at Swift Justice, Inc. today for a free consultation.
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