If you have suffered injuries in an accident with a truck, it is likely those injuries are catastrophic and life-changing. Perhaps you even lost a loved one in the accident, leaving you with additional suffering and grief.
You may have many decisions to make as you try to move forward from this tragedy. As you piece together your options, it may help you to understand some of the common causes for trucking accidents.
Focus on many factors
In most cases, a truck accident occurs because of some kind of human error and not exclusively on the part of the trucker. This may be an important factor if you and your legal representative seek to hold responsible every possible entity involved in the incident. Besides driver error, truck accidents may occur because of any of the following:
- Truck owners, trucking companies or mechanics fail in their duties to keep the rigs well maintained and in road-worthy repair.
- Defective parts, such as those used to repair brakes, fail at the time of the accident, potentially placing some responsibility on the product manufacturers.
- Trucking companies or distribution centers improperly load the cargo, leading to items falling from the truck or an imbalance of weight that a trucker may find difficult to control.
- Trucking companies do not adequately train their drivers or vet them for their safety records.
Focus on the driver
Of course, the main focus of any investigation into a truck accident is typically the operator of the vehicle. Despite increasing regulations for safety, a trucker’s actions may be the direct cause of an accident that leaves someone suffering the kinds of injuries with which you are dealing. Some negligent or reckless actions include:
- Truckers drive faster than the posted speed limit, which is often too fast for trucks to travel safely in the first place.
- Truckers fail to obey the law regarding rest brakes, or drive when they are fatigued or drowsy.
- Truckers get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs.
- Truckers allow themselves to become distracted by their cell phones, navigational systems, food and drink, or other items while driving.
Any of these may have contributed to the accident that left you suffering and struggling. In addition, the actions of another motorist, such as the driver of a smaller vehicle who cut off a truck, may have had a part to play in your accident. With the assistance of a skilled New York attorney, you may have success in maximizing the compensation you deserve for the catastrophic truck accident in which you were injured.
