Trucking Accident Investigations
Trucking accidents are defined as vehicle collisions involving a tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, semi-truck, or other commercial vehicles that cause personal injury and/or property damage. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), there was a 7.2% increase in the involvement of large trucks in fatal crashes in 2017 and, based on the 4-year average, over 19,000 crashes involving over 43,000 people in Illinois.
Large trucks not only increase the possibility of harm and more serious damage but when compared to car accidents, the cost, and effort associated with investigating these types of accidents are time-consuming, extremely complex, and very costly.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations govern rules for inspection, repair, and maintenance regarding the use of tractor-trailers and other large trucks. When a truck accident occurs because a trucking company or its employees have neglected proper inspection and maintenance of a vehicle, they may be held liable for the victims’ injuries, property damage and other losses.
Causes of Truck Accidents
- Brake failure
- Tires or wheels failure
- Steering failure
- Cargo shifts while the truck is in motion
- Trailer attachment failure
- Suspension failure
- Body, doors, or hood failure
- Degraded braking capability
- Transmission or engine failure
Equipment failure implicating trucking company and/or driver must be proven that the company and/or its employee acted negligently in their filing to ensure the truck was properly maintained. Proving that poorly maintained or faulty truck equipment caused a crash requires the work of investigators with specialized knowledge. These experts examine parts and equipment involved in complex truck accidents and in some cases reconstruct truck accidents to better illustrate to a jury how equipment failure caused the accident to happen.
Why You Need A Lawyer to Settle Truck Disputes
In any accident, the first step is to determine the cause. For automotive accidents, the cause is typically attributed to human error or responsibility. For trucking accidents, responsibility may fall directly on the driver and also indirect responsibility involving the trucking company making them partially or fully liable for the trucking accident. Based on the complexity involved in investigating and evaluating trucking accident cases, as well as, properly filing the appropriate documents, it is highly recommended that trucking accident victims contact an experienced personal injury attorney.
Get Truck Accident Legal Help Today
If you are the victim of an accident involving a commercial truck, or are a driver of an eighteen-wheel semi tractor-trailer, a garbage truck, a postal/parcel delivery truck, or an operator of another large vehicle and have been in a collision caused by someone else’s negligence, the truck accident lawyers at Bellas & Wachowski are committed to maximizing your recovery.
Contact us today to get started with a free and confidential case assessment by calling 866-699-3339 or complete the case request form.