Semi-trucks are vital for the transportation of goods across the country. However, semi-trucks also pose a great danger when they are on the road while in operation by drivers who are negligent, inadequately-trained, or fatigued. Additionally, semi-trucks can cause accidents if they are not properly maintenanced before or during their travels. Unfortunately, an alarming number of semi-truck accidents lead to fatalities. If you have been injured in a semi-truck accident, it is vital that you contact Arkansas trucking accident lawyers to learn more about your rights.
Arkansas Trucking Accident Attorneys
While semi-truck accidents can happen for any number of reasons, they typically occur due to:
- Driver fatigue from driving late or long and excessive hours
- Defective or failed equipment including power steering, brakes and tires
- Inadequate training
- Driver impairment including drug or alcohol influence
- Unsafe driving or excessive speeding because of demanding employers
- Poor visibility or weather
- Unsafe or poor road conditions
- Road construction
- Improperly balanced, secured or loaded cargo
- Improperly maintained truck
- Aggressive driving
- Inadequate or obstructed road signs
One or more of these situations can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle, thus resulting in semi-truck accidents. If you have found yourself in an accident, you must speak with Arkansas trucking accident lawyers who will assist you in proving that one or more of these factors caused the incident.Additionally, your Arkansas trucking accident lawyers may suggest that you take photographs of the crash site, including the semi-truck or any other vehicles or property that were damaged. In order to obtaining the most compensation, it is in your best interest not to make statements or sign anything under pressure without experienced Arkansas trucking accident lawyers present.
Compensation Not Limited
According to statistics, one person is injured or killed every 16 minutes from a semi-truck accident in the United States. Unfortunately, the innocent people involved in these accidents are often on the losing end due to the sheer size of the other vehicle. While many people believe that they can only seek compensation if it is a vehicle-on-vehicle accident involving a semi-truck, this is not always the case. While accidents typically only damage the vehicles involved, many semi-truck incidents occur when the driver loses control of the vehicle and hits property, a nearby pedestrian, or someone riding a bicycle or a motorcycle.Just as drivers who have been personally injured or had their cars damaged in a semi-truck accident are eligible to sue for those injuries and damages, non-drivers may also sue if their property or possesions (such as bikes and motorcycles) were affected. You may also be entitled to seek non-economic damages including pain and suffering, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment of life.You may also consider seeking legal counsel to determine who you are entitled to sue. Truck drivers undergo specific training in order to operate a semi-truck and should theoretically be able to control the vehicle in an accident. You may also be entitled to sue your employer if he or she has demanded that you reach a certain destination in a short amount of time, causing you to speed or drive carelessly. Additionally, if a third party had provided the cargo and was responsible for ensuring that the load was safe for transport, you may be eligible to seek compensation from that company if the loose cargo had caused the accident. Arkansas trucking accident lawyers will help you to make this determination.
Log Truck Crashes into Bike Repair Shop
On June 15, 2013 in Benton, Arkansas, the driver of a semi-truck hauling logs failed to negotiate a curve and tipped over into the “Bicycle Doctor” store. While nobody was killed in the accident as the truck crashed into the building and logs began to roll onto the property, one customer was taken to the hospital under suspicion of a broken leg.Accidents much like this one can cause extensive injuries, as a typical semi-truck can carry a load upwards of 80,000 pounds. Because of the greater likelihood of causing serious injuries, semi-truck drivers are required to carry higher liability limits with their insurance policies.
Contact Our Office
Have you or someone you loved been injured in a semi-truck accident or have had your personal property damaged due to an out-of-control vehicle? If so, contact our Arkansas trucking accident lawyers affiliated with Attorney Group for Arkansas today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
