Tractor Trailer Accidents
A Knowledgeable Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer in Greenville, NC
Car accidents involving large trucks and tractor trailers can be more dangerous than other types of collisions. Over nine million large trucks make their journeys across our roads, and about 90,000 people suffer injuries in crashes with large trucks every year. These monsters of the road can weigh 80,000 lbs. or more and can cause fatal accidents because of their size and weight.
At Edwards & Edwards, we also know that trucking companies will attempt to avoid liability for accidents. After a truck accident, the trucking company and its insurance carrier will likely arrive on the scene to take control of the evidence and place blame elsewhere.
Our Greenville injury lawyers have the resources and experience to begin an independent investigation into the accident, determine who is responsible, and recover necessary damages for victims. Once our firm is retained for a tractor trailer accident case, we begin work immediately to secure evidence for victims and be aggressive advocates against the truck company and its insurance carrier.
What Causes Tractor Trailer Accidents?
The companies involved in the trucking industry have a responsibility to make their vehicles as safe as possible on the road. This includes hiring and training competent drivers, performing maintenance, and ensuring the shipment is secure inside the trailer. Despite many state and federal regulations, trucking companies do not always follow the rules.
Primary causes for these collisions include:
- Driver Error. By far the most frequent cause of accidents is error by the truck driver. Trucks require special skills to operate, and drivers must remain completely focused on the road or else risk an accident. Yet just like any other driver, truck drivers are prone to distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and other forms of negligent and reckless behavior. Truck companies push drivers to work long hours, which may make them even more prone to stress, fatigue and other factors that can increase the possibility of an accident.
- Weather Conditions. While one might not think that anyone would be liable for an accident due to poor weather conditions, companies must properly train drivers to understand how weather affects the road and the truck for safe driving. Poor weather conditions will require a driver to lower speeds, allow for extra braking room, and sometimes get off the road altogether if the conditions are too dangerous.
- Equipment Failure. Though not as common as driver error, equipment error is the cause in many accidents. These accidents include brake failure, tire blowouts, and improper trailer attachment. Many of these issues are due to a lack of proper maintenance or defective auto parts. An investigation must be made to determine if an automotive defect or design flaw caused or contributed to an accident.
- Improper Loading. Weight and balance of a large semi-truck and tractor trailer is extremely important for the safety of everyone on the road. A loading company may be held liable if a truck is improperly loaded, and such improper loading causes or contributes to an accident
Locate a Greenville Truck Accident Attorney with Experience
Tractor trailer accidents can derail your life – these accidents can leave you recovering in the hospital without any income from a job to pay for medical bills, while household expenses continue to pile up. Our Greenville
attorneys, Joe and Sharron Edwards, want to support you during this difficult time. We cannot give you back what this serious incident took away, but we can ease some of your financial problems by seeking compensation for what you have lost. Contact
our North Carolina law firm today by calling (252) 353-1200 to start an investigation into the truck accident that caused you and your family harm.
How a Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer Can Help
When you contact us or visit Edwards & Edwards at our Greenville offices, an experienced tractor trailer accident lawyer will take all the time needed to explain the legal ramifications of your truck accident case. We will also discuss whether you can pursue a personal injury or wrongful death claim against the driver of the truck, another vehicle's driver, or any other parties involved. If you've been in a truck accident in or around North Carolina, guidance from a semi truck accident lawyer with the relevant experience can be crucial to the outcome of your case.
We know that a truck accident can be completely unexpected. Typical truck accident scenarios are as follows (these are NHTSA data):
- 61 percent of fatal accidents in which a large truck is involved happened in a rural area
- 67 percent of such crashes occurred during daylight hours
- 83 percent of all large truck crashes with a fatality involved multiple vehicles (i.e., the truck and one or more other vehicles)
However, since a large truck was involved in one out of eight traffic fatalities in the U.S. in 2005, there are many different truck accident scenarios that could give rise to litigation. At Edwards & Edwards, we have the experience to represent victims in Greenville and across North Carolina who have been involved in any type of trucking accident. Each attorney from our firm is quite familiar with the legal options and strategies that can be pursued on behalf of truck accident victims.
The NHTSA also notes that in 74 percent of the injuries in truck accidents in the United States are inflicted on the occupant of the other vehicle (15 percent of the time, it's the truck's driver or a truck passenger). And of truck accident fatalities, 76 percent are the other vehicle's occupants (driver or passengers). Clearly, the consequences of being in a collision with a large truck can be devastating. If it happens to you, contact Greenville area truck accident lawyer Joseph T. Edwards or attorney Sharron R. Edwards — they're prepared to fight for your legal rights.
Nothing herein is intended as specific legal advice. Each case is unique with its owns set of facts and complexities, and the information provided herein is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances.