Summary
- Truck driver fatigue is a contributing factor to a large percentage of accidents involving commercial trucks.
- Due to the unique size of these vehicles, accidents involving commercial trucks often cause more serious injuries and property damage.
- Victims of accidents involving commercial trucks suffer significant physical, emotional, and financial harm, but face many obstacles in recovering compensation.
- A truck driver fatigue lawyer can help you defend your rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.
Semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles crisscross the nation’s highways every day. While most commercial truck drivers take their responsibilities seriously, there can be a lot of pressure on drivers to improve their numbers. Some resort to unsafe practices, like driving long hours without rest–and the consequences can be deadly.
If you’ve been involved in a large truck accident caused by driver fatigue, you may be dealing with significant pain, suffering, and financial burdens. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the team of truck accident attorneys at Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia.
We have considerable experience in truck driver fatigue cases, and we want to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Call us at (800) 320-HELP or contact us online to get started.
Understanding Truck Driver Fatigue
Driving under significant fatigue can be as dangerous as drunk driving. When the driver is in control of a commercial truck, that becomes an extremely dangerous situation with the potential to cause catastrophic harm. Truck accident statistics consistently cite drowsiness as a leading cause of collisions.
Driver fatigue affects reaction times, awareness of hazards, and the ability to sustain attention on the road. According to the landmark Large Truck Crash Causation Study, driver fatigue was a contributing factor in at least 13 percent of all commercial truck crashes.
Unfortunately, many professional truck drivers are pressured to increase profits for their employers with unreasonable expectations of transit times, leading drivers to stay on the road far longer than is safe or engage in risky behaviors like speeding.
Truck Driver Fatigue Regulations
Commercial truck drivers are required to follow a number of federal regulations designed to combat trucker fatigue. For example:
- Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 hours on duty
- Drivers cannot spend more than 14 consecutive hours on duty
- Drivers cannot spend more than 60 hours on duty over seven days or more than 70 hours on duty within eight days
To make sure these regulations are followed, truck drivers are required to maintain a log of their time, which is inspected by their employer for accuracy. Many commercial trucks also include electronic monitoring devices to ensure that safe driving practices are followed.
There may be additional rules from the state, and some exceptions may apply. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you understand what state regulations may have been broken in your accident.
Truck Accidents can Cause Serious Injuries, Lasting Health Consequence
Commercial trucks are enormous, high-mass vehicles, weighing from around 35,000 pounds unloaded to a legal maximum of 80,000 pounds fully loaded. Compare that to the average weight of a car–around 4,000 pounds–and you can get a sense of the unique damage that large trucks can cause.
The sheer size of these vehicles means that collisions involving commercial trucks generate tremendous force, putting any smaller passenger vehicles in their way at extreme risk. Common truck accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions from violent impacts.
- Spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis or mobility issues.
- Broken bones and severe fractures requiring surgery.
- Internal injuries, including organ damage and internal bleeding.
- Emotional and psychological trauma, such as PTSD.
Other potential injuries include burns, lacerations, and whiplash injuries. Seek medical attention right away after any collision involving a large truck, even if you believe your truck accident injuries are minor or you feel okay.
It’s entirely possible you have injuries you’re not cognizant of in the moment because accident scenes are typically chaotic. Your medical records will be a useful paper trail showing you sought to mitigate your damages if you need to file a truck accident claim for compensation.
Types of Compensation For Victims of Truck Accidents
The potentially catastrophic damage of a large truck accident caused by driver fatigue can be highly disruptive to the lives of victims. These damages put victims under physical, mental, and financial strains that deserve fair compensation.
Due to the likelihood that a truck driver fatigue accident victim will have considerable damages, filing a personal injury lawsuit will likely be necessary to recuperate the full value of those costs.
Victims of truck accidents may be entitled to compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgery, medication, medical imaging, mobility aids like wheelchairs, and physical therapy
- Lost wages you were unable to earn due to taking time off to go to appointments or recover from your truck accident injuries
- Property damage caused in the truck accident, like car repairs or replacing a totaled vehicle
- Pain and suffering caused by your truck accident injuries
- Emotional damages due to the trauma of the crash
- And more
A truck driver fatigue lawyer is the most suitable person to assess the monetary value of your economic and non-economic damages.
How a Truck Driver Fatigue Lawyer Can Help Guide Your Claim
A neighborhood fender bender doesn’t always need legal help. However, if you’re involved in an accident with a commercial truck caused by driver fatigue, the situation can be much more complicated. Suddenly you’re dealing with much greater damages, shipping companies, federal trucking regulations, and more.
An experienced truck driver fatigue lawyer can be an invaluable ally in your fight for fair treatment.
Your truck accident attorney can help by:
- Investigating the accident and securing evidence showing the truck driver was fatigued
- Understanding and accounting for complex trucking regulations and industry standards
- Negotiating with trucking companies and insurance providers
- Representing your personal injury lawsuit in court if a fair settlement cannot be reached
- Providing support and guidance through the legal process to secure the best possible outcome
The aftermath of a large truck accident caused by a fatigued driver is more than anyone should have to deal with on their own. Your lawyer can help you successfully navigate the legal system and secure fair compensation.
Choose WHG as Your Truck Driver Fatigue Lawyers
If you or a loved one has suffered from an accident caused by truck driver fatigue, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial pressure you face. You deserve compensation for your damages, but the legal system is complicated, and trucking companies and their insurance providers can be daunting obstacles.
As personal injury lawyers, our team at Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia has seen a wide variety of truck accident cases. We are equipped to deal with the complications that often arise in these types of claims, such as third-party liability. Reach out to the team at WHG for a free consultation. You can contact us online or call us at (800) 320-HELP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of compensation can survivors recover after a truck accident that resulted in a wrongful death?
Truck accidents have the potential to inflict catastrophic and even fatal injuries. The survivors of deceased truck accident victims may be able to recover compensation for damages such as:
- Last medical bills
- Loss of services and support
- Mental anguish
- Loss of parental guidance
- Funeral and burial expenses
- And more
The estate of the deceased can file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the family. To see if you qualify to file a Florida wrongful death lawsuit, get in touch with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Besides drowsy driving, what are the other common causes of truck accidents?
While truck driver fatigue is often a contributing factor in collisions involving these large commercial vehicles, other issues can cause devastating truck accidents. For example:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Mechanical failure due to a defective part
- Lack of maintenance
- Lack of training
- Improperly loaded cargo
- The trucking company hired an unqualified driver
What are the main types of truck accidents?
Commercial trucks tend to have less maneuverability, and their weight distribution puts them at risk of losing control or even overturning. These factors can result in several kinds of truck accidents, such as:
- Underride crashes
- Override accidents
- Lost load accidents
- Jackknife accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Side-swipe collisions
- Rollover accidents
