When you’re driving on the road in a regular vehicle, you’ve most likely experienced large trucks sharing the road with you. Commercial truck drivers are trained professionals who have regulated hours and rules to prevent them from being reckless or negligent behind the wheel. But even with those regulations in place, accidents with large trucks still happen due to negligence and recklessness.
Unfortunately, accidents between trucks and other motor vehicles are especially dangerous because of the size difference and weight of the rigs, as they weigh 20 to 30 times more than regular-sized vehicles. In 2018, over 4,000 people died in truck accidents, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Of those who died, 67 percent were drivers and passengers of regular-sized vehicles.
Whether you suffered injuries or had the misfortune of losing a loved one far too soon in a trucking crash, we want to help you here at Prince Law Firm. A Carbondale truck accident lawyer can help you gather the evidence necessary to make a liability determination necessary to pursue justice. So, if you’re ready to hold the negligent party accountable who caused you or your relative harm, it’s time to reach out to one of our firm’s attorneys for a free consultation.
Common Injuries from Truck Accidents
When you get into an accident with a tractor-trailer, you are more likely to experience catastrophic injuries and serious damages than in an accident between two regular-sized motor vehicles. When you decide to file a truck accident claim with an attorney, they will fully investigate your claim, and that includes the extent of your injuries and damages. Here are some of the injuries that we typically see after an accident with a large truck:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and spine injuries
- Loss of limb
- Burns
- Disfigurement
- Paralysis
Injuries like the ones above can have a serious impact on your life physically, emotionally, and financially. On top of your trip to the emergency room, there are many other medical services you could end up needing. Depending on your injuries, you could need imaging, specialist appointments, surgery, physical therapy, emotional therapy, and medication. Even if you have insurance, your medical bills could start to add up.
These injuries could also change your way of life and limit your physical abilities. Your injuries might keep you from completing basic human needs, physical activities you previously enjoyed, or even working. If you’re experiencing severe pain or limited movement that keeps you from getting back to work, then you could be facing lost wages as well.
Your medical bills and missing wages are important to document so that when we investigate your claim, we can create an accurate figure that you should receive in compensation for your injuries and other damages. An experienced Carbondale, IL truck accident lawyer will know how to compile your documents and information so that we can properly build your case and ensure you fully recover financially. So, if you’re looking for help building your claim while you’re recovering or grieving your loss, get in touch with our Carbondale, IL truck accident attorney for a free case review.
FMCSA Regulations and Illinois Tractor-Trailer Crashes
Many of the causes of truck accidents stem from negligence and recklessness, which are direct violations of the regulations in place to prevent these accidents from happening. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the government entity that makes the federal regulations truckers must follow. They ensure that truck drivers are being as safe as possible. Some of those regulations include working hours, markings on trucks, and the weight of the trailers.
Truck drivers have limited hours that they can work to ensure that they are not driving for long hours without a break. A trucker can only drive for 11 consecutive hours before they must take a 10-hour break. Even if a driver takes an hour off within their 11-hour driving period, they still must take ten consecutive hours off duty.
As far as marking goes, an interstate motor carrier must display their USDOT number and requires that commercial motor vehicles be marked with the legal name of the business entity that owns or controls the vehicle.
In terms of weight limits, there are a couple of general rules to follow. The limit for the vehicle’s gross weight is 80,000 pounds. There are also limits to how much weight is on a single axle, which is 20,000 pounds, and a tandem axle group, which is 34,000 pounds. When a trucker or their company violates any of these standards, they are at a higher risk of causing an accident.
Prince Law Firm Represents Truck Injury Victims Like You
After an accident with a large truck, you could be dealing with a lot of financial stress as well as physical and emotional injuries. When you didn’t cause the accident, you shouldn’t have to bear those burdens alone. With legal representation from a Carbondale truck accident lawyer, you’ll be able to ensure that the liable party is held responsible for the actions that caused the accident and that it never happens again. We will help you fight for justice and make sure you receive proper compensation for all of your medical bills, mechanical bills, and any lost wages you might have from being out of work from your injuries.
Since the injuries from large truck accidents are usually more catastrophic than regular car accidents, you’ll definitely want legal support so that you get justice for those injuries. Since we perform a full investigation of what happened, we will look into how your injuries will affect the rest of your life. If you’re unable to ever go back to work, need continued medical care, or experience loss of enjoyment of life, these are all things that we will consider when we are evaluating what fair compensation would mean for you.
Although our office is based in Marion, our pursuit of justice knows no bounds. You can count on a Carbondale, IL truck accident lawyer in our office to represent you or your family in your time of need after a catastrophic tractor-trailer crash. Contact our office, Prince Law Firm, today so we can discuss what steps we can take toward getting you the justice you deserve. Meeting with our attorney is free.
