Challenges Unique To Truck Accident Cases

By
June 29, 2023

For many people, getting behind the wheel and driving to work or the grocery store is a common occurrence in their daily life. Some people have a fear of driving altogether, while others may have specific fears like driving over bridges. One such fear, known as semiochophobia, is common to many drivers. Semiocophobia is the fear of driving near 18-wheeler trucks. 

If you, like many others, have a fear of sharing the road with big commercial trucks, you are not alone. Since these vehicles are huge and heavy, they pose more risks and challenges. If you were injured in a truck accident caused by the other party, you may be entitled to compensation. Speak with an attorney from the Etemi Law firm. 

Challenges unique to truck accident cases 

  • Trucks are more dangerous than cars. 

Needless to say, trucks are bigger and heavier vehicles with the ability to create much more severe accidents and injuries than passenger car vehicles. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), of all the people killed in car-truck collisions, 96% of people were from the passenger car vehicle. Since the vehicle is huge, the impact of the collision is much greater. 

  • Federal regulations and trucking company policies. 

There are several rules and regulations that trucking companies and truck drivers must follow: 

  • Truckers are required to submit routine drug and alcohol tests. 
  • Trucking companies must perform maintenance checks and keep a log. 
  • There are limits on the length and weight of the truck. 
  • Trucking companies should be careful about who they hire. 
  • All truck drivers should have a valid commercial driver’s license. 
  • Truck drivers should follow the maximum number of hours on the road and take mandatory breaks. 

  • Truck accidents have several defendants. 

One of the most challenging aspects of a truck accident case is that there may be more than one defendant to deal with. In order to get damages, you must prove that the truck was liable. However, since so many parties are involved, the defendant could be anyone between the truck driver, the trucking company owner or another employee, the truck manufacturer or designer, etc. In many cases, more than one factor contributes to the accident. 

  • The evidence is compromised. 

It is common for truck drivers to falsify their logbooks or reset BlackBox recorders. It takes the expertise of an experienced truck accident attorney to identify these wrongdoings and find out inconsistencies in the records. If your attorney is able to prove that the records were compromised, the defendant loses credibility, and your chances of winning increase.