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If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in Charleston, it is best that you hire truck accident lawyers who are knowledgeable in the state laws and truck regulations where the accident occurred. Contact a Charleston auto accident lawyer at Shealey Law Firm to begin your case after a crash with a truck.
The Risks of Truck Accidents for Other Motorists
Reckless driving by truckers can lead to serious injuries such as:
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Traumatic brain injuries, and,
- Sometimes, death.
Because of a truck’s size and weight to a car’s size and weight when you are involved in a crash that involves a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle, the results can be devastating.
In addition, filing a lawsuit for a truck accident is more complex than car crash cases because compliance with truck safety regulations and industry standards is an important part of handling semi-truck crash cases.
Contact us today to speak with a truck accident attorney in Charleston, SC.
Causes of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Charleston
Truck and tractor-trailer accidents can result when drivers of large commercial vehicles fail to live up to their obligations. Truck drivers are required to have a professional commercial driver’s license and are expected to check their load balance carefully, comply with all federal and state safety regulations and drive in a safe way to avoid injuring other motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
Unfortunately, some truck drivers make careless mistakes. These mistakes can cost motorists their lives in a collision with a tractor-trailer.
Some of the top causes of tractor-trailer crashes include:
Driver fatigue
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates that driver fatigue is a factor in as many as 6,000 truck accidents each year. New hours-of-service rules mandate a break within the first eight hours of driving for long-haul drivers and reducing the average weekly hours from 82 to 70 hours per week. While these changes may help reduce accidents, it is still up to truck drivers to make the safe choice and stop driving when they are too tired.
Speeding
Truckers are often on a tight schedule and sometimes they speed to make up for lost time on their route. Truckers who exceed the speed limit are more likely to lose control of their vehicles, roll their vehicle or be unable to stop in time to avoid hitting another vehicle. Speed-related accidents include not only crashes where a driver breaks the posted limit, but also wrecks where a tractor-trailer driver goes too fast for road, weather or traffic conditions.
Distracted driving
Truck drivers who are on a cell phone, sending a text message, watching a video or using in-vehicle controls are as much as 4 to 23 times more likely to cause an accident. Any activity that causes a driver to look away from the road may significantly increase the chances of a devastating tractor-trailer accident.
Unbalanced loads
When a tractor-trailer is improperly loaded or a driver fails to balance the load, this can increase the risk of an accident. Rollover accidents are especially common with improperly loaded trucks or when improperly secured freight shifts in transit.
Why Hire a Charleston Truck Accident Attorney?
We hope that you or a loved one never experience a serious accident with a truck or tractor trailer, but if you do it is important to act quickly to preserve your rights and get the justice you deserve.
Because trucking companies have to carry large insurance policies due to the significant damage a truck accident can incur, the insurance company may quickly try to diminish your claim to help deter against a substantial settlement that you may be entitled due to the fault of the truck driver.
Don’t let the trucking company take advantage of you — call our team at the Shealey Law Firm now to make sure your rights and your future are preserved with help from a truck accident attorney.