Common Causes of Truck Accidents Include:
To receive fair compensation for your injuries, you must determine who is liable or legally responsible for causing them. An experienced lawyer can investigate your accident to determine who should be accountable. Truck accidents can be complicated as there can be one of the many or several parties who were negligent in causing your accident.
Who is liable for these collisions? The answer isn’t always as easy or straightforward as you might think.
We might hold the following parties entirely or partially liable for your truck accident:
The truck driver.
Perhaps they drove distracted, under the influence, without enough rest as mandated by federal regulations, or not following the traffic laws by speeding or some other action or inaction. Truck drivers have demanding jobs, but they must remain alert and sober behind the wheel to protect everyone’s safety.
Other drivers.
Sometimes, other drivers on the road can share or even have complete responsibility for an accident.
The trucking company
Since many don’t enforce federal regulations for hours of rest or vehicle inspection or maintenance, thereby putting innocent lives at risk. They may pressure drivers to speed or drive too fast for conditions to be sure their loads are on time, so they can make more money.
The goods distributor
In other cases, the company that hired the trucking company to transport their goods contributed to the accident. Improperly balanced or secured loads can cause trailers to tip over when traveling in a curve, or crews might load flammable materials without the proper safety precautions.
The maintenance provider
Can sometimes fail to identify and fix braking problems, provide poor workmanship, or use of substandard parts. In these cases, you can hold the company that provides maintenance for the truck liable for the collision.
The truck or parts manufacturer
Defects in the truck or any of its parts, such as its brakes or tires.
Local municipalities
Truck accidents can also happen due to poor road maintenance or light or sign malfunctions. In these cases, it’s typically the entity responsible for the road that is liable.
A Chicago truck accident attorney will research and piece together all the critical facts of the accident to determine who we can hold liable.
Our investigation might include:
Interviewing witnesses.
Video surveillance footage.
Pictures or videos.
The truck’s black box.
Even using an accident reconstructionist.
Once they determine which parties caused the accident, they can pursue financial recovery from them on your behalf. At Midwest Injury Lawyers, our priority is identifying who is liable and why. Your compensation depends on the success of this task, and we take it very seriously.
Causes of Truck Accidents
Our compassionate Chicago truck accident attorneys can’t change the past. However, if you or a family member were involved in a truck accident, we can advocate for you as you seek compensation. Our goal is to obtain the financial recovery you deserve to help you move forward after your injuries.
Many different factors can cause truck accidents. Some are the same factors that apply to other motor vehicle accidents. Some are unique to the truck driving industry.
Speeding
Truck drivers can get to their destination quicker by speeding. While this makes sense logically and for profitability, it puts many lives in severe danger. Speeding is especially concerning for big rigs. As larger and heavier vehicles, trucks need more time and distance to stop.
Fatigue/Drowsy Driving
It’s normal for truck drivers to drive long distances over numerous hours, getting little rest along the way. Understandably, truck drivers face a lot of pressure to deliver the load within a short window of time. Many sleep as little as possible and press on to get the job done. The sleep they do get often isn’t quality sleep.
Their fatigue can cause them to lose concentration and coordination behind the wheel. Some even end up falling asleep while driving. Even though federal laws address how often they must have rest periods and how long they should be, it’s easy for them to ignore the laws.
Distracted Driving
Driving for many hours over long distances often causes drivers to become bored. Naturally, they search for something to keep them occupied, but it leads to distracted driving.
To kill the boredom, they might:
- Read or reply to text messages
- Make phone calls
- Visit social media sites
- Change the car radio station
- Program their GPS
- Eat
Distracted driving is really performing any action behind the wheel other than driving. When truckers divert their attention away from driving and the road, even for a fraction of a second, it significantly increases the chance of an accident.
Substance Use
Many truckers use alcohol and other drugs while working. Some use or buy substances while they are in town, and others bring them along for the trip. Either way, it’s illegal and puts all motorists at risk. Even some prescription drugs can lead to impaired driving.
Lack of Proper Training
Truck drivers can’t operate large commercial vehicles on public roadways until they have met minimum training requirements. They must have a specific number of behind-the-wheel practice hours as the law requires. However, many truck drivers don’t get the training they need to drive safely. Trucking companies frequently ignore this fact to get more drivers on the road.
Poor Truck Maintenance
Truck drivers and companies must legally ensure their vehicles are in top condition before getting on the road. Since this takes additional time and can cost money, many truckers or companies instead focus on getting their deliveries done. They ignore their responsibility to maintain their truck, increasing the risk that an accident will happen.
Sometimes, multiple factors lead to semi-truck accidents. All of these causes are rooted in negligence. Truck drivers owe a duty of care to others they share the road with. They should drive the speed limit, slowing down when road or weather conditions aren’t ideal. They should maintain their trucks and be sure they are safe to drive. They should devote all of their attention to the serious task of driving. When they make bad decisions, no matter the reason, they should be held accountable for the damages they cause. You can trust a dedicated Chicago truck accident lawyer from our firm to do just that.
We Don’t Fall for Insurance Company Tactics
Suppose you were seriously injured or lost a loved one in a large commercial truck crash. In that case, you need the experienced Indianapolis truck accident attorneys at Midwest Injury Lawyers. It’s likely that the trucking company or its insurance company will attempt to get you to accept a settlement offer that is much less than the fair value of your accident injury claim. After you sign their settlement agreement and accept their check, they can close the case and move on. They will have extra money in their pocket, which should have been yours if your case had been settled fully and fairly.
Let our dedicated legal team at Midwest Injury Lawyers handle your truck accident case for you. We meticulously investigate truck collisions. These cases are frequently complex, so we often work with private investigators, mechanical experts, an industry expert qualified to download data from a commercial truck’s black box, and an accident reconstructionist. Even though most cases settle outside of court, we thoroughly and carefully prepare each truck crash case as if it is going to trial.
Chicago Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help You Seek Damages
Damages are the amount of money you deserve based on your accident-related bills and expenses, as well as the injuries and other ways you have suffered. Most large truck accident victims seek monetary recovery for the following:
Medical Expenses
Medical and related expenses, both already incurred and expected, can include:
- Doctor’s visits
- Emergency care
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Rehabilitative therapy, such as physical therapy
- Prescription medication
- Medical and assistive devices
- Home health aides to assist
- Retrofitting your home, such as the necessary construction of a wheelchair ramp
Property Damage
You have a right to seek compensation for whatever property was damaged or lost in the accident. This can be your vehicle, your wedding ring, a bicycle, or anything else of value that was damaged, destroyed, or lost.
Lost Income
You can seek compensation for past and future income lost from work. You can lose this income due to the crash itself or the time you need to recover and heal or attend related medical appointments.
Loss of Future Earnings
Sometimes injuries sustained in a large truck accident are severe enough that you can’t return to work at all or can’t work in your previous work industry. In that case, you can ask for compensation for your expected lifetime earnings. Our Chicago truck accident lawyers can use economic experts if necessary to help determine how much you deserve.
Pain and Suffering
Since truck accidents can cause severe and catastrophic injuries, you deserve recovery for your pain, suffering, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of life if you cannot do things you once enjoyed.
Loss of Consortium
You can also pursue damages on behalf of your spouse if the truck crash impacted your marriage or rendered you unable to maintain intimate relationships. This is called loss of consortium.
You may also be entitled to additional types of damages. When you review your case with our knowledgeable Chicago truck accident lawyers, they can help ensure that you seek compensation for all reasonable expenses and losses.
Illinois Truck Accident FAQs
Personal injury cases such as commercial truck accidents have filing deadlines known as the statute of limitations. Under the statute, injured individuals only have a specified amount of time to file a claim after the crash. Once the window expires, they generally cannot seek legal action.
Illinois has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to all personal injury cases, including commercial truck accidents. After an accident, contact an Illinois truck accident attorney as soon as possible. Waiting too long can disqualify you from receiving the compensation you otherwise may have been entitled to receive.
To establish fault in a commercial truck accident, your attorney will investigate the accident scene, take eyewitness testimonies, and examine police accident reports, among other things. They will also investigate the driver and the company they work for and obtain black box data from the truck.
Factors in establishing fault might include:
- The condition of the truck and if it had proper maintenance
- How the truck driver was hired and trained
- How many hours the truck driver was working, and if they took adequate breaks
Midwest Injury Lawyers: Trusted Illinois Truck Accident Law Firm
A truck accident injury was not part of your plan, but consulting a trusted Illinois truck accident law firm should be. At Midwest Injury Lawyers, our attorneys will stand up for your rights as a victim and secure the best possible outcome for you. Reach out to our personal injury lawyers.
If you or someone you love recently suffered injuries in a truck accident, you may have many questions and uncertainties. Our Illinois truck accident lawyers can answer your questions and protect your interests. Contact us by phone at (312) 786-5881 or online and start your case today with a free consultation with one of our reputable attorneys.
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Chicago, IL 60606
P: (312) 786-5881
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