Big trucks seem to pose more serious risks than the typical passenger vehicle. If you were involved in an accident with a big truck, you could be dealing with medical problems, increased costs, emotional issues, and a range of other problems. The following are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding big truck accidents.
What Is a Big Truck?
When someone talks about a big truck accident, they’re not speaking of a large pickup truck. Semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, big rigs, 18-wheelers, cement trucks, and freight trucks are all examples of big trucks. Most often, these are commercial trucks that serve a specific purpose, and to drive one, an individual must obtain a commercial driver’s license.
Why Are Big Truck Accidents More Serious?
When you compare the weight of a big truck and your basic sedan, you’ll quickly realize why a big truck is a bigger risk in an accident. Big rigs could weigh over 80,000 pounds, whereas a sedan weighs about 3,000 pounds. Imagine these two vehicles going at the same speed and crashing into a wall. The truck could plow through it and keep going, causing a lot more damage than the sedan that might hit the wall and stop.
What Are Some Causes of Big Truck Accidents?
There are a lot of reasons a big truck driver might get into an accident. Some rear-end collisions are due to the car cutting into the lane too close in front of the truck driver. Sometimes the truck’s performance abilities are not where they should be because the truck didn’t receive a proper inspection. Other times the drivers are exhausted due to forced or voluntary extra driving hours.
Who Could Be Sued in a Big Truck Accident?
When it comes to liability, there are many parties that could be held responsible for your big truck accident. After a thorough investigation, you may realize the driver is liable because he or she was distracted by a cell phone. You might discover the truck company is liable because they didn’t perform a required inspection that would have caught a common repair. You might also realize the shipper is liable because they didn’t properly secure the load.
Contacting a Lawyer for More Answers
As you can see, each big truck accident is different and will require a fresh set of eyes and legal representation. If you were injured in a truck accident, contact a truck accident lawyer, like a truck accident lawyer in San Francisco, CA, for more answers.
Thanks to The Morales Law Firm for their insight into some of the biggest questions revolving around big truck accidents.