Personal Injury Lawyer

You’ve seen the stickers while driving down the highway. Affixed to the back door of a tractor-trailer truck, a reflective diamond reads in large print: “How’s My Driving?” It’s a nice thought that professional truck drivers and their management companies would offer other motorists the chance to give feedback on their performance behind the wheel.  But the fact is that even a truck driver who manages his rig in perfect compliance with the law may be in imminent danger of causing harm to himself and to other drivers. That’s because driving isn’t the only factor that causes truck accidents.  And while fatigue is often cited as a prevalent cause of truck-related highway accidents, statistics show that less than 2% of accidents are due to a driver falling asleep at the wheel. In fact, a highly prevalent cause of truck accidents is one of the most overlooked: truck maintenance.    Common Causes of Truck Maintenance Accidents The following maintenance issues are two...

Determine Liability Many factors can lead to a tractor trailer accident. Poor visibility and inclement weather can create unsafe road conditions. The tractor trailer itself may have faulty parts or be overdue on maintenance. The driver may be suffering from fatigue and fall asleep at the wheel. In many cases, accidents occur due to reckless driver behavior such as speeding, drunk driving, texting while driving, and violating traffic rules. If the driver of the tractor trailer is found at fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Typical Injuries on a Tractor Trailer Wreck Accident Due to the high destructive potential of a tractor trailer moving at highway speeds, injuries from an accident are often severe and in some cases fatal. Survivors may suffer from: Broken bones Head trauma Damage to internal organs Spinal injuries Paralysis & other life-changing injuries Benefits of Tractor Trailer Accident Lawsuit Funding Tractor trailer accident lawsuit Tractor trailer accident lawsuit...

18 WHEELER ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS Were you or a loved one injured or killed in a recent 18-wheeler accident?  The problem with 18-wheeler accidents is they cause terrible damage to the people and property around them. The accidents are frequently caused by the driver behind the wheel, and other people pay the price for this negligence. If your property was damaged or you were injured in an 18-wheeler accident, it’s essential to call a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. https://www.pittmandutton.com/accidents/truck/ There are plenty of 18-wheelers in and around San Antonio. These vehicles keep our economy moving, but they can cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident with a large truck, the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm is here to help. Our San Antonio 18-wheeler accident attorneys will work to secure the compensation you deserve. How common are 18-Wheeler Accidents? According to the According to the Texas D...

The trucking industry poses a threat to passenger vehicle drivers on the road, because of the sheer size of large truck vehicles and the power they wield in overtaking other motorists. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute reports the majority of fatalities in accidents with large trucks are those of people in passenger vehicles . Trucking companies and their drivers are key to preventing large accidents and keeping everyone roads safe. Some of the most common factors prevalent in trucking accidents include: Slow braking: Loaded tractor trailers take up to 40 percent farther to come to a complete stop compared to cars Hazardous road conditions: Because large trucks require longer reaction times because of their size and braking capabilities, wet and slippery roads pose a threat Fatigue: While it’s legal to drive up to 11 hours at a time without resting, drivers may exceed that amount of time or neglect taking breaks when tired No amoun...

18 wheeler can be involved in many of the most severe vehicle accidents. Due to their size and the way they’re built, if a dump truck gets into a collision with a passenger car, the smaller car will usually absorb most of the damage. A dump truck accident can often result in major damage to the car as well as serious injuries and even wrongful death issues.   Steps to Take After a 18 wheeler Truck Accident If you’ve been in a 18 wheeler crash, the first thing you should do is assess your health and seek medical attention, even if you think you feel fine. You may have sustained injuries that are not immediately detectable. These can get worse if left untreated. While still at the accident scene, if possible, you should: Contact the police and file a report Gather contact info from the other party, including the name of the 18 wheeler company Collect evidence if you can — this includes photos, videos, eyewitness statements, and any other importa...

18 wheeler brake failure During this week, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will work within the trucking industry to improve knowledge, compliance and performance of brake maintenance. Why the Focus on Brakes? After years of experience litigating trucking accident cases, our attorneys have found the most prevalent truck accident to be rear end collisions . One of the causes of this type of crash, and many others, is poor or nonexistent brake maintenance. When a rear end collision occurs, we investigate the service history of the vehicle and the accident scene for evidence of poorly maintained brakes. Importance of Safety Week According to 2019 CVSA Roadcheck data, more than half of commercial motor vehicle out-of-service citations were for brake-related violations. Poorly adjusted air brakes will not allow a colossal semi truck to stop quickly enough or within a safe stopping distance. New regulations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are being imp...

Choosing a truck accident lawyer can be very tough, especially when there are so many people in the market offering the same services. If you are looking for a truck accident lawyer, then we’re glad that you’ve come here. Keep in mind that the person you’re about to choose will represent you before the court. Therefore choosing the right person for this job is crucial. The field of law requires one to have hands-on experience in solving people’s problems. In this article, I will guide you through 5 things that you must consider when choosing a truck accident lawyer. 5 things to consider when choosing a truck accident lawyer 1. Truck Law Firm Experience Don’t choose a person who has no experience with dealing with such cases. Keep in mind that young people always tend to make errors. Only veterans know the art of navigating such cases successfully in courts of law. If you’re considering a person for this job, then ask for his/her experience first. Moreover, if you’re choosing a truck ac...

Tractor Trailer Accidents Cases Interstate 95 Ryan Shannon Breen Fortin, 27, of Edgewater, Florida was killed when  the moving van he was riding in collided with a tractor-trailer in Brunswick, Georgia. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Joseph Alston, 56, of Columbia, South Carolina was not injured.  Both vehicles were traveling northbound, and Alston's truck was traveling at a low speed when the moving van ran into the rear of it. Slow Moving Tractor-Trailer : Tractor-trailers are especially hazardous when driven at low speeds on the interstate.  It is difficult for drivers to appreciate the speed differential on the interstates, and the approaching driver assumes that the tractor-trailer is driving at roadway speeds. The end result is that the approaching driver does not realize the tractor trailer is moving slowly until it is too late to avoid a rear-end collision. Truck drivers are trained to warn other vehicles with hazard lights if their vehicle is moving slowly...

Blooming signs of spring serve as a reminder that the 100 Most Dangerous Days to Drive (Memorial Day to Labor Day) of the year are approaching. To prepare for that time, it’s important the focus on ways to limit the peril of driving. Safe driving tactics are clearly important, but “location, location, location” affects road safety as well. Some roads and highway systems are shown to be more dangerous than others. The Daily Beast analyzed accident data compiled from 2004 through 2008 by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) to determine the 100 Deadliest Interstates. Interstates are highways that link the major cities in the United States. The figures, however, were determined by breaking each interstate into stretches within a single state. Daily Beast analysts then took the number of fatal accidents (not total fatalities) and divided it by the number of miles in that stretch to arrive at a Fatal Accidents per Mile figure. Truck Accident Lawyer Auto Accident Att...

A pregnant teenager from Lee County, Heather Aycock, died after the silver Mustang in which she was a passenger was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer. The accident occurred just north of the Dougherty-Lee County line. The Georgia State Patrol identified the driver of the tractor-trailer as Berry Broadhead of Alabama. The driver of the silver Mustang was confirmed to be Teresa Aycock. Authorities are not certain as to how the accident occurred but believe the Mustang was turning at the time of the collision when it was struck by the tractor-trailer. Smith System of Defensive Driving : Truck drivers must be diligent in their lookout for vehicles around them. Because of the size and velocity of a tractor-trailer, even a low speed collision with a passenger vehicle can have devastating results. Truck drivers are taught to use the Smith System of Defensive Driving. The Smith System cautions the truck driver to beware of traffic around them and to always have an escape route in ...

Recent tractor trailer accidents in Augusta, GA Exit ramp of Sigman Road and I-20 A man was injured when his vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer in Conyers, Georgia. The wreck occurred at 5 p.m. and involved a passenger vehicle becoming wedged underneath a tractor-trailer truck hauling paper supplies. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. Monitoring Trailer Placement : Truck drivers are trained to use extreme care on entry and exit ramps because their articulated vehicles track differently than normal vehicles.  The trailer tires do not necessarily follow in the same arc as the tractor tires. Truck drivers have a responsibility to make sure that the trailer has sufficient room to complete a maneuver without contacting other vehicles in the roadway. We have handled a number of cases involving truck and commercial vehicle accidents.  You can see our case results by clicking here .    Georgia Truck Law Accident Interstate trucking companies are...

Just a few weeks into 2019 and the new year is already setting snowfall and temperature records up and down the eastern seaboard. Buried in Ice and Snow – NYC Comes to a Halt – Deadly Blizzard Paralyzes East Coast – these were some of the headlines covering “Storm Jonas.” Throughout the storm, one thing authorities encouraged the public to do was to stay off the roadways. NYC and Baltimore were under travel bans to keep drivers away from city streets. The reason of course being that snow and ice-covered roads aren’t safe. Most people happily complied, staying inside and missing a few days of work. For one reason or another, other people braved the terribly inclement weather and got into their vehicles. Sadly, dozens of vehicle accidents ensued. Driving in a blizzard or ice storm is never recommended and should be avoided whenever possible. Nonetheless, if the weather suddenly changes for the worse, you may find yourself having to drive in these conditions. This is especially so if ...

What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? Traumatic brain injury (TBI) isn’t as straightforward as other conditions or injuries. The brain is a marvelously complex organ, and brain injuries can affect people in different ways. Because many people have an incomplete understanding of TBI, they often suffer through symptoms without understanding the root cause of their condition. To begin with, brain injuries typically occur when a bump or jolt causes damage to the brain. Truck accidents are a common cause of TBI due to the difference in size between cars and commercial trucks. TBI symptoms may include: Changes in memory and speech patterns Emotional or psychological changes Difficulties with motor functions You may have questions or concerns about the various misconceptions surrounding TBI. The attorneys at Georgia Trucking Law Firm  can provide compassionate legal representation because we understand what TBI victims go through. Let’s have a look at the top five truck...

The Dangers of Drowsy Driving Drowsiness has a globally negative impact on performance, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ). Sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases situational awareness, and impairs judgment. Drowsy driving can endanger other drivers and place people at risk of injury .  The news is full of accidents caused by tired truckers, and many of the injured and deceased are the truck drivers themselves. Often, a truck driver will fall asleep at the wheel on a stretch of highway where there are no or few other drivers and crash his/her rig. Other times fatigue results in accidents involving cars and commercial trucks , the majority of which prove fatal for the passengers in non-commercial vehicles due to the enormous size of trucks. The NHTSA has reported that driver fatigue accounts for about 13% of all commercial truck accidents each year, or close to 65,000 accidents per year.

Trucker Fatigue The recent Large Truck Crash Causation Study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration examined more than 12,000 commercial truck accidents over almost three years. The FMCSA researchers considered the causes of 249 deaths and 1,654 injuries. The FMCA found fatigue, the consumption of alcohol, and speeding are major factors in motor vehicle crashes overall. These three factors increase the risk that a crash will occur. Truckers were responsible for most of the crashes.  About 12 percent were linked to so-called “non-performance.” Before these wrecks occurred, a driver either fell asleep, had a heart attack or seizure, or was physically impaired for another reason. The National Transportation Safety Board estimates as many as 30-40 percent of trucking crashes are caused by driver fatigue. What are The Causes of Trucker Fatigue Commercial Vehicle Accidents? Long Hours Truckers’ hours are governed by the FMSCA’s Hours of Service regulations. Although these ...

How Common Are Truck Accidents? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, large trucks account for approximately 9% of all fatal crashes and 3% of all injury and property-related crashes. This may seem like a small amount, but consider that in 2017, 4,761 people were killed in big rig collisions, while 84,000 people were injured. Also, truck accidents tend to involve multiple-vehicle crashes: 82% of fatal trucking accidents involve multiple vehicles, compared with 62% for fatal passenger vehicle accidents.   Why Are Big Rig Accidents More Likely to Cause Injury Than Ones Involving Passenger Cars? The simple answer is: physics. The average car weighs about 3,000 pounds, while a big rig carrying a full load can weigh more than 70,000 pounds. The differences in size and weight mean that the occupants of the passenger car are more likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries in a crash. At Fried Goldberg, we understand how dangerous tractor-trailer accidents ca...