The Impact of Trucking Accidents on Victims and Their Families

Truck crashes occur daily across the United States. While most truck drivers and trucking companies take extraordinary measures to ensure safety, accidents still occur. Most of these crashes are caused by the negligence of one or more individuals. Unfortunately, the victims of trucking accidents are most often innocent drivers and passengers in other vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, 71% of truck accident victims in 2021 were occupants of the other vehicle involved in the accident, while 27% of victims were the truck driver themselves.

Commercial trucks are massive, heavy vehicles weighing up to 80,000 with a full cargo load. It is no surprise that when a crash occurs, there is a very high potential and serious and catastrophic injuries. These injuries affect not only the victims themselves but can also impact their family members.

Having an understanding of your legal rights is important in this situation. If you or a loved one have suffered losses in a truck accident, our national truck accident lawyers at Burg Simpson are standing by to provide help at any time. We have recovered over $2 billion dollars in compensation for injured victims, and we would be honored to assist you during this difficult time.

The Cause of Truck Accidents  The Impact of Trucking Accidents on Victims and Their Families

Many truck accidents are caused by negligence. Under the law, the concept of negligence arises when a person fails to act as an ordinarily reasonable or prudent person would act under the same circumstances. Negligence is most commonly associated with unsafe driving behavior. For truckers, this typically means one of the following:

  • Distracted driving
  • Drowsy driving
  • Speeding
  • Impairment
  • Unsafe equipment such as brakes or axles
  • Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo
  • Driving in dangerous weather conditions

Any of the actions above can contribute to a catastrophic truck accident. Truckers and trucking companies who do not follow safety regulations can be held legally accountable for their actions.

Injuries in Truck Accidents

Unlike accidents involving cars and personal vehicles, there is generally no such thing as a "minor" truck accident. Given their relative size and force, a truck crash can easily lead to disabling and catastrophic injuries. Victims may find themselves affected in every aspect of their lives, including their ability to work and earn a living.

Some common injuries caused by truck accidents include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), neck and spinal cord trauma, scars, disfigurement, loss of limbs, internal injuries, and even death.

Following a truck accident, victims often have a long road to recovery and may need complex and extensive medical care. If you have been injured in a truck accident, you could be entitled to the following compensation:

  • Reimbursement of your medical and prescription costs
  • Payment for lost wages and loss of earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering

Being the victim of a truck accident means your life has been turned upside down. If someone else's negligence caused the crash, you could be entitled to compensation. The stakes are high following a serious injury accident. Before you speak to the insurance company, you should contact a skilled national truck accident attorney for help as soon as possible.

Wrongful Death Claims

More than 5,700 people were killed in commercial truck crashes in 2021. Many of these victims were innocent motorists who lost their lives in accidents that were not their fault. The investigation of a truck accident is crucial to obtaining justice for family members who have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one.

Under the laws of each state, family members may be entitled to file a wrongful death action when their loved one was killed in a truck accident. The filing of a wrongful death claim is done by the victim's next of kin. This may be a spouse, parent, or child of the deceased victim. In a truck accident case, wrongful death claims could be filed against many potential defendants, such as:

  • Truck drivers
  • Trucking companies
  • Mechanics
  • Parts manufacturers
  • State and local authorities

Filing a wrongful death claim is a complex legal process. In every state, there is a statute of limitations that requires the wrongful death claim to be filed within a certain period of time following the crash. If the statute of limitations is missed, the claim is usually lost forever. Unassuming family members can easily miss the statute of limitations, which can be as short as one year. This results in an unfair denial of justice to grieving victims.

If your family member was killed in a truck accident, it is best to consult with an experienced truck crash attorney who can advise you of your rights at the earliest possible time. Waiting too long can jeopardize your legal rights.

Trusted National Truck Accident Lawyers

The loss of a loved one due to a trucking accident is one of the most devastating experiences for a family to endure. Truck crashes claim the lives of many innocent victims annually, leaving their loved ones behind to pick up the pieces and move forward.

In other cases, a truck accident can result in serious injuries that affect victims and prevent them from enjoying their normal life on a day-to-day basis. In either event, you should not be left responsible for a crash that was someone else's fault. Instead, you should seek to protect your legal rights and receive the compensation you deserve.

Here at Burg Simpson, we have a trusted and dedicated team of lawyers and legal professionals. Our firm has the resources and experience needed to handle complex and emotionally difficult truck accident cases. With a team of investigators and experts at our disposal, we ensure that our clients receive justice when they have been injured in a commercial vehicle crash.

We are standing by to take your call now. Our consultations are free for all potential and prospective clients. There is no fee until we win. To schedule your time to talk with one of our national truck accident attorneys, please reach out to us using our online intake form or give us a call at 866-695-1839.

 

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