Truck accidents tend to be catastrophic incidents, where the bodily injury and property damage are likely to be colossal. When a commercial truck collides with a car several times smaller, this vehicle can get squished like a fragile accordion. Thousands of people die horrible deaths in truck accidents each year in the United States. Those who do survive may be left with debilitating conditions that they must manage for the rest of their lives. For these reasons and more, taking swift action against the person at-fault for the truck accident is paramount.
What kinds of trucks cause the most accidents?
When people think about truck accidents, most imagine hefty 18-wheeler trucks. These large vehicles can do more than their share of damage in the event of an accident. An 18-wheeler fully loaded can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Truck drivers are often the cause of many, if not most, serious truck accidents. The trucker may have violated regulations that are bound by federal law and govern trucking industry operations. Regardless of the exact kind of truck that hit you, victims are entitled to compensation from the party at-fault for the tragedy that resulted.
Aside from 18-wheelers, other types of trucks that can cause devastating accidents include the following:
- Garbage trucks
- Dump trucks
- Cement trucks
- Tankers
- Delivery trucks
- Flatbed trucks,
- Tow trucks
Who may be held liable for a victim’s injuries?
Those who have been hit by a truck are likely to sustain serious physical injury that requires immediate medical attention. In the moments after the crash, it is more important to get treatment than be concerned about who is at-fault. Once everyone has received the care they need and the victim has had a chance to calm down, they can consider filing a lawsuit against the parties responsible. After a case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer Winder GA like those from Norris Law, they can inform you whether one or more of these parties may have contributed to the accident:
- The truck driver
- The truck driving company
- The truck manufacturer
- The crew that loaded the cargo
- A government agency
- A third party
- Another driver in multi-car accident
Is it possible the trucker was drunk behind the wheel?
Truck drivers carry commercial driver’s licenses, which means the intoxication standards are much stricter compared to other drivers. A trucker cannot consume alcohol within the few hours before a driving shift, and cannot have a BAC of more than 0.04%. If you noticed that the truck driver smelled of alcohol or appeared drunk, then this is something you must report to the officer who arrives at the scene. A drunk driver may be more inclined to become aggressive or angry, so it’s best to keep yourself safe and have the situation handled by law enforcement.
Victims of truck accidents tend to endure some of the most terrible injuries that some may not fully recover from. Because of how large these vehicles are, they can cause tragedy to ensue within moments.