Truck Accident Guidebook

Truck Accident
Handbook
A Guide for
People Injured in
Commercial
Vehicle Accidents
BY ATTORNEY
Jonathan Rosenfeld
Truck Accident Handbook
A Guide for People Injured in Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Copyright Notice
Copyright 2017 by Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, with-
out the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in crit-
ical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests,
write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

33 N Dearborn St #1930
Chicago, IL 60602
https://www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com/
www.rosenfeldinjur ylawyers.com 1
Table of Contents
Why Trucking Accident Victims Deserve a Book to Protect Their Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Speeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Alcohol and Drug Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Poorly Loaded or Secured Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Road Construction Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Inadequate Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Blind Spot Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Rear End Collisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Defective Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Bus Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Cement Truck Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Trucking Accident Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Injuries to Pedestrians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Children Injured in Trucking Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Injuries to Truck Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Trucking Accident Fatalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
How to Handle Insurance Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Why Trucking Accident Victims Need and Deserve an Experienced Advocate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Our Trucking Accident Case Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Why Trucking Accident

Victims Deserve a Book to
Protect Their Rights
Chicago is an epicenter for the trucking industry due to its major role as a transportation and shipping
hub. It serves both local and cross country routes as both a final destination or a transition point, and
millions of trucks travel through the city and its surrounding suburbs as a result. Such a high volume of
trucking volume is bound to result in a greater number of accidents, but it is also true that many of the
accidents occurring on the roads can be prevented through commonsense measures and by following
the law. As a personal injury lawyer, I often see firsthand the unfortunate and catastrophic consequences
of trucking negligence and work hard to advocate for victims and their families when their lives are
completely changed due to an accident.
My name is Jonathan Rosenfeld, and it has been my mission for years to represent the interests of
anyone who suffered devastating harm at the hands of another person or companys negligence. I
founded Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to be able to help victims obtain the best legal services available
from attorneys who are qualified and experienced with the specific areas of law that apply to their cases.
Clients who access my Chicago Truck Injury Lawyers website will have access to a team of attorneys who
have real experience and success with cases against large truck companies so that they can be sure their
attorney offers the greatest chance of successfully recovering the compensation they deserve.
One of the primary reasons most legitimate cases are never filed is that many victims are completely
unaware of their rights or refrain from filing out of fear that their case will be considered frivolous. There
are a lot of misconceptions about how lawsuits work and that is because many people have developed
sue happy attitudes and there are plenty of lawyers around who will prey on their motivations. I want to
let you know right now that if you seek my advice, I will be upfront and honest about whether your case
has a chance in court and realistic about the amount of compensation you can expect to recover.
Ive prepared this book so that you know how to protect your interests following a trucking accident.
You deserve to know how to tell if you have a claim and also how to avoid making any agreements that
will erode your rights and hurt your case. Since insurance companies are often responsible for paying
out any settlements or judgments, they have become very good at defending their policyholders and
intimidating victims into signing away their rights.
The first section of this book will cover all of the common causes of trucking accidents both so that you
can recognize when a trucking company or driver is at fault and to be able to avoid accidents in the
future.
Trucking accident injuries are often severe due to the amount of power, weight and force involved, and
Ive dedicated an entire section to the different types of injuries that can result from these accidents.
Next, I will let you know how to handle insurance companies and avoid providing statements or
information which can be used against you in court. This section will also dispel many common myths
that insurance adjusters perpetuate in order to intimidate victims into agreeing to terms that are against
their best interests.
The last two sections will be dedicated to helping you vet a personal injury lawyer and the results
that my team of trucking accident attorneys has been able to provide my own clients in the past. I
understand that you may ultimately choose to retain the services of another attorney, but regardless
of whether you allow me to represent you or retain somebody else, I would like to let you know what
qualities you need to look for in an attorney to ensure you have the greatest chance of recovering the
compensation to which you are entitled.
I understand that if you have been in a trucking accident, you are probably coping with devastating
injuries and need access to the best medical care and legal advice available. I would love the opportunity
to be able to make your recovery a little easier by representing your needs and connecting you with the
resources I have available.
Do not hesitate to contact me for more information and to arrange a consultation with one of my
attorneys free of charge. For more information on all areas of my practice, you can visit www.
rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com. I hope that this book provides the information you need and look forward
to being able to serve your needs.
Common Causes of Trucking Accidents
Driving a truck is not an easy task at all and requires a lot of skill, experience and situational awareness.
Many truck drivers are extremely careful and responsible individuals who perform difficult work while
trying to share the road with motorists who are not always considerate of their limitations. When a truck
driver doesnt follow the rules of the road or is pressured into acting in a negligent manner, however, the
chances that he or she will be involved in an accident are magnified greatly. Following are some of the
most common causes of trucking accidents.
Driver Fatigue
Even a fully rested driver who has been on the road for several hours can begin to suffer from fatigue and
conditions such as highway hypnosis. Failure to stop and rest occasionally can make a driver more prone
to mistakes and result in an accident. Truck drivers are on the road sometimes for eleven hours straight,
only stopping to fuel up or get a meal. The constant need to get to the next destination on time can wear
a truck driver down and the resulting fatigue can lead to a truck accident with the potential to change
the lives of those involved forever.
Laws Regarding Truck Driver Hours of Service
According to Part 395 of Federal Regulations, truck drivers are not allowed to be on duty for more than
fourteen consecutive hours and must break for ten hours after coming off of duty before driving again.
Being on duty does not only include driving, but it includes waiting at a warehouse or a dock or any
activity that the driver needs to perform during his or her day. While on the road, the driver may not drive
for more than eleven hours straight and even if this milestone is reached before the fourteen hour mark
of duty, the driver must stop and rest for at least ten hours.
In order for authorities to enforce compliance with these rules, truck drivers are required to keep
a logbook that details when they have come on duty, their mileage, when they have reached their
destinations and when they have stopped driving or ended their days. The logbook is designed to help
authorities determine whether the driver has followed a number of laws that do not only include those
pertaining to a truck drivers hours of service. The biggest flaw with this system is that truck drivers can
falsify their logs and cover up the fact that they were speeding, on duty for longer than allowed and other
offenses.
The Responsibility of Trucking Companies
Truck companies are required to monitor their drivers and make sure that they comply with federal
laws as well as the state laws that apply to the locations drivers will travel through and arrive at.
Unfortunately, these companies often encourage their drivers to push themselves in order to reach their
destinations faster and actually encourage the falsifying of logs in order to meet their ends. This is not
only illegal, but it places strain on the drivers, who are forced to be on the road for times in excess of
more than twelve hours at a time.
The effects of fatigue on drivers are a loss of concentration, reduced awareness and alertness, tiredness
and slower reaction times. Some truck accidents have been the result of drivers falling asleep at the
wheel and colliding with traffic or pedestrians as a result. The rules that govern the amount of time
a driver can be on the job do not only apply to semi-truck drivers who handle eighteen wheelers. Any
commercial driver is subject to these rules whether he or she is driving a flatbed, pickup, delivery vehicle,
semi-tractor or a van.
If youve been in an accident due to the actions of a negligent truck driver, there are ways to determine
whether or not the responsible driver was following proper procedure. Truck companies will do
whatever it takes to exonerate their drivers from responsibility and to steer clear of the heat, but an
experienced truck injury lawyer has access to professionals who can reconstruct the accident and use
new technologies on commercial trucks such as GPS navigation in order to prove that the driver was in
the wrong.
Remember that trucking companies will do whatever it takes to not be held responsible for the truck
accidents that they bear responsibility for by pushing their drivers too hard.
Speeding
While commercial truck accidents are much less frequent than collisions that involve two cars,
one person is still injured or killed every sixteen minutes by a truck crash. Due to the nature of the
transportation industry, companies push their drivers every day to deliver their cargo faster, to make
more deliveries each day, and to test the limits of their ability. Whether the driver operates a van or a
semi-truck, he or she still operates a vehicle that can severely injure or kill other people and safety needs
to come before speed.
The Impact of Speed on Stopping Distance
Speed laws are commonly overlooked and many drivers ignore the posted speed limit on major
highways or major streets. Speed affects the distance at with a vehicle can stop in order to avoid an
accident, however, and reaction time needs to be considered as well. At higher speeds, the vehicle
travels more distance before the operator even has the opportunity to hit the brakes. At sixty miles per
hour, it takes the average driver 132 feet simply to react. To then come to a complete stop takes another
171 feet for a total stopping distance of 303 feet.
Trucks are much larger vehicles and require even more stopping distance the distance required to
come to a complete stop from sixty miles per hour is 361 feet. If a truck was to be traveling ten miles per
hour and the driver needed to come to a halt, its stopping distance is only one foot longer than that of
a car. As a truck gains speed and momentum, it gets increasingly more difficult to stop, making it even
more dangerous at higher speeds on the highway than when traveling at lower speeds on city streets.
Delivery Vehicles
Delivery companies such as UPS, FedEx and DHL strive to deliver as many packages as they are able to
each day and will often push their drivers to the end of their limits. In order to finish their routes on time,
drivers of delivery trucks may speed from one stop to the next while ignoring the posted speed limit.
This is extremely dangerous in the afternoon when children are getting home from school and various
pedestrians are crossing residential streets. Many truck accidents that involve pedestrians are the result
of the driver failing to adhere to the speed limit and being unable to stop in order to avoid an accident as
a result.
It doesnt matter if commercial drivers operate a delivery van, tractor trailer, flatbed or an eighteen
wheeler all commercial drivers should follow the speed limit and place the safety of those who they
share the road with first. If a driver fails to follow the law and causes an accident as a result, he or she is
not the only party liable. The company that the responsible driver works for may be responsible for any
resulting damages as well.
Alcohol and Drug Use
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol presents a danger to every person who is on the road
and those who are being paid to drive should be held just as accountable as everyone else for driving
under the influence. Trucking companies are responsible for their drivers and making sure that none of
their employees drive while under the influence of any mind altering substance. Truck injuries that are
the result of drunk or drugged driving require compensation not only from the driver, but the company
that employs the driver as well.
The Effects of Alcohol on Reaction Time
Many studies have concluded that alcohol greatly diminishes a persons ability to take decisive action or
to react to an obstacle in the road. In a study performed by the Age and Cognitive Performance Research
Centre in Manchester, U.K, it was determined that participants reaction times became greater as their
blood alcohol levels and the complexity of the task rose. On the road, this means that a truck driver
who is under the influence of alcohol will take longer to react when he or she needs to stop or perform
an evasive maneuver and that the chances of an accident increase dramatically as the drivers blood
alcohol content increases.
Why Marijuana Presents the Same Risks
Marijuana contains a chemical referred to as THC, which impairs coordination, balance, memory,
concentration, judgment and reaction time. Drivers are unable to accurately perceive time; speed and
space while under the influence of marijuana and their reaction times slow down relative to the amount
of THC that is in their blood. An Australian study looked at 3,000 separate truck driver fatalities and
determined that the presence of THC in the drivers blood at the time of the accident greatly increased
the chance that the driver was at fault for the accident. The chances of responsibility rose with THC
content, showing a clear relation between marijuana usage and the likelihood of an accident.
Narcotics and Other Drugs
Alcohol and marijuana get a lot of attention, but there are many other drugs that can be found on the
streets or on the shelves of local over the counter drug stores. Narcotics may cause a driver to become
extremely drowsy and affect his or her judgment and reaction time, but many cold and allergy medicines
that can easily be bought at a truck stop or gas station can have similar effects. Anytime a driver is using
medication of any kind, he or she should not jeopardize the lives of everyone else on the road by taking
a chance.
Even if a truck driver causes a collision with cold medicine in his or her system, that driver is liable for
all of the damages that result from the accident and the truck company is responsible as well due to
the responsibility that they have to ensure that their drivers operate safely. There is simply no excuse for
driving while under the influence of any substance whether you are being paid to drive or not.
Poorly Loaded or Secured Cargo
Nobody expects the truck in front of them on the highway to drop cargo onto the road, creating a road
hazard and causing an accident. It is not uncommon for trucks to be loaded improperly or for drivers
to fail to notice loosely secured cargo. In the event that a trailer is improperly loaded and it causes a
weight imbalance that leads to an accident, the warehouse responsible for loading the trailer could be
liable for the resulting truck accident. Many of these incidents can be prevented if drivers take the time to
check their cargo before hitting the road, but because many truck drivers are in a rush; this crucial step in
the process is often skipped.
Shifting Cargo
All cargo will inevitably shift during transport each time the driver makes a turn, accelerates or comes to
a stop. Warehouse workers are instructed to load trucks in a way that distributes the weight of the load
in the trailer or on the flatbed in a manner that will reduce the amount of shift that occurs on the road.
When truck drivers are required to pull into a weigh station, authorities will check to see if the cargo is
over the maximum allowed weight and if they suspect uneven distribution, they may inspect the cargo.
Weigh stations are not always open, however, and truck drivers often communicate to each other on the
road in an effort to hit as few open weigh stations as possible. Therefore, it is the drivers responsibility to
make sure that his or her cargo is not going to shift to one side of the trailer, where it can make it difficult
to maneuver the truck and even cause a jackknifed trailer while traveling at highway speeds. Any cargo
that is secured on a flatbed needs to be secured so that it will not only shift, but so that it cannot come
loose and fall onto the road where it will strike a following vehicle.
Multiple Parties Responsible
If a warehouse, dock or other distribution center allows a trailer or flatbed to leave without properly
verifying that the contents on the trailer or flatbed has been loaded properly, that warehouse could be
held liable if the truck driver is involved in an accident due to that cargo shifting or falling onto the road.
The driver is also responsible for performing his or her own safety check before leaving the warehouse or
dock. Even the trucking company may be held liable for any incident that results from improperly loaded
or secured cargo.
Road Construction Zones
Speeding through a construction zone has become a serious offense due to the number of accidents
that are caused when drivers travel too fast and fail to pay attention to workers, barriers and
construction machinery that is on the road. There are extremely strict laws regarding driving through
construction zones in Illinois and these laws are being enforced through cameras on the road whenever
workers are present. What many motorists are unaware of, however, is that these laws exist to protect
motorists as well as construction workers and motorists are in greater need of the protection.
Work Zone Related Fatalities
Any commercial driver whether he or she drives a van, a pickup truck, a semi-tractor, flatbed or any
other vehicle designed for transport needs to follow the same rules of the road that everyone else
does. Trucks can do a lot more damage to smaller vehicles at higher speeds and construction zones
are filled with hazards, distractions and possible obstacles. 90% of the deaths that occur in work zones
are to motorists rather than to construction workers and speed is a large contributing factor in these
accidents.
Effectiveness of Construction Laws
Legislation passed in Illinois to crack down on drivers who break the construction zone speed limit has
reduced the number of deaths by half since 2004. Drivers are required to slow down when they enter a
work zone and follow the posted construction zone speed limit, which is usually 45 MPH on the highway.
Signs are posted that instruct drivers to proceed with caution and sometimes to stay in their lanes.
Those who break traffic laws in a construction zone face a $10,000 fine, a license suspension of 90 days
and up to two years jail time (fourteen years if a driver kills a construction worker as a result of breaking a
traffic law in a work zone).
The harsh penalties have encouraged more drivers to take proper caution in work zones and removed
those who ignore posted speeds and instructions in those zones off of the road. Over 8,000 citations
have been written since the law was instated. A steep fine and the threat of jail time have let drivers know
just how serious Illinois is about its intent to keep construction zones safe for motorists and workers.
The Need for Speed in the Trucking Industry
Trucking companies demand more and more of their drivers each year and the need to deliver cargo
quickly and efficiently makes truckers cut corners and try to make up as much time as possible. This
includes breaking traffic laws when a delivery is running late. Whenever a driver or a company puts
efficiency and speed ahead of the safety of others, that company needs to be held accountable if its
actions result in an accident.
Most trucking companies will retain representation in order to try to deflect the blame when their
policies are put into question. They encourage drivers to take actions that threaten the lives of other
people on the road, but make every attempt to remain insulated from liability when things go awry.
Inadequate Maintenance
The majority of truck accidents on the road are either the fault of the truck driver or the other party,
but defects in important parts of the truck can contribute to an accident. How much defective parts
affect the chances of the truck driver being unable to avoid an accident vary and some defects create
situations in which an accident simply cannot be avoided. It is the responsibility of the trucking company
and the driver to perform routine checks in order to ensure that all of the equipment on the truck is in
working order and address any problems before allowing the truck on the road, but some defects go
unnoticed until it is too late.
Braking Systems
The braking systems on semi-tractors and other large commercial trucks are extremely different than
that of cars. Most trucks rely on an air brake system that uses compressed air in order to apply the brakes
rather than using a hydraulic system that depends on brake fluid. Airbrakes are usually much more
reliable than hydraulic brakes, but they are less responsive and truck drivers are not able to stop on the
dime. The minor lag that exists in air brakes can make a difference in the half second that it takes for the
brakes to be applied.
Defects to the compression system or the brakes themselves can create a disaster if the truck driver is
unable to bring his eighteen-wheeler, flatbed or other large commercial vehicle to a halt. In the event
that faulty brakes are the cause of an accident, an investigation needs to take place to determine if any
part of the braking system was defective or if the system was not maintained properly.
Lighting System
Problems with a trucks lighting system are extremely common and many lighting systems have defects
that can cause them to fail when they are needed at night or in adverse weather conditions. Lighting
failure can contribute to nighttime accidents by making it nearly impossible for the truck driver to detect
vehicles or motorcycles on the road. The lack of brake lights may also make it hard for the truck to be
seen in adverse weather and result in the truck being hit from behind.
Federal Regulation Regarding Inspection and Maintenance
Federal Regulation 396 requires all commercial trucking companies to regularly inspect and maintain
all of the trucks in their fleets. Many defects can be discovered through routine inspections and repair,
preventing issues on the road that can lead to disaster. Companies are required to keep logs of all of the
maintenance performed on their truck in order to show compliance as well as to allow investigators to
identify the cause of equipment failure or malfunction.
If defective equipment is indeed the cause of a truck accident, the manufacturer of the equipment
can be held liable for the accident as well. Most accidents involving equipment failure are the fault of
both the driver for continuing to drive with defective equipment and the equipment itself. In order to
determine how to distribute fault in an accident, it is best to consult with a reliable truck injury lawyer.
Blind Spot Accidents
Every single vehicle has blind spots that restrict what the driver is able to see around the vehicle while
traveling the road. Trucks are no different and their blind spots are massive when compared to the
blind spots in cars, vans or pickup trucks that drivers can check merely by looking over their shoulders.
Most drivers on the road take their time passing trucks, not realizing that they are putting themselves
in danger by remaining in a truck drivers blind spot. If a trucker is unable to see another vehicle and
changes lanes or makes a turn that results in a truck accident, he or she cannot be held responsible.
The Four No Zones
Located on all four sides of a semi-tractor trailer are what are commonly referred to as no zones which
are areas that a truck driver is unable to see. The smallest of these zones is on the left hand side of the
truck, next to the drivers door extending into the next lane. The largest zone is on the right side and
can extend up to three lanes on the right side of the truck, making it the wrong side of a truck for a car to
drive on. There are also no zones directly in front of and behind the truck and drivers need to be aware
of the fact that truck drivers do not see drivers who are riding too close behind them or cars that are
immediately in front of them.
Passing a Truck Safely
Because the left side blind spot is the smallest, it is always safest to pass a truck on the left side and to
do so quickly. Reducing the amount of time that you are next to the trailer will also reduce your risk of
being in a position where the driver can change lanes without seeing you. Give plenty of space once you
are past the truck as well because the driver will not see you until you see his headlights in your rear view
mirror.
One common rule of thumb is to watch the side view mirrors of the truck and try to see the truck drivers
face through them. If you are able to do this, he or she can see you and should be aware of your presence
on the road. The moment you can no longer see the truck drivers face in the mirror is when you have
entered a blind spot. If you arent seen, be heard by sounding your horn, but keep in mind that you want
to spend as little time as possible in the blind spot of an eighteen wheel rig.
Smaller Trucks and Delivery Vehicles
Using the side view mirrors in order to determine if you are seen doesnt just work on big trucks it
works if the other vehicle is a delivery truck, van, flatbed or pickup truck. Anytime you can see the other
driver, he or she can see you. This small tip can be the difference between an accident and a near miss if
the driver happens to notice you and stop moving into your lane.
If you are unsure of whether or not you are at fault for a truck accident, it is still wise to consult an
experienced truck injury attorney.
Rear End Collisions
Rear end accidents are the most common type of accident in the United States and many of these
accidents involve commercial drivers. Most rear end accidents occur at low speeds, but the passengers
in the leading car may still be injured, even in collisions that happen at 5 MPH. When people think of
truck accidents, they assume that the truck is a big semi-tractor trailer and are often aware that trucking
companies use flatbeds, pickup trucks, vans and delivery trucks as well. Whenever a commercial driver
collides with another vehicle in front of his or her own, he or she is liable for the resulting damages.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a condition that is extremely common in those who have been involved in a rear end
collision and the symptoms may not be present until several days after the accident. About 20% of rear
end accidents result in whiplash. Experts believe that the injury is caused by the stretching of the spine
and tears in the ligaments that support the neck. The result is a combination of symptoms that include
headaches, pins and needles that extend from the neck down to the shoulders and arms, pain and
stiffness in the neck and soreness in the middle back.
Whiplash is treated through physical therapy, which is designed to repair the ligaments that are
responsible for moving the neck. Patients are instructed to do a series of exercises that strengthen the
surrounding muscles so that less strain is placed on the torn ligament while it heals. Some doctors
believe that cervical collars should only be used for periods of three days or less because it can worsen
the injury if the neck is immobilized for too long in some instances while other doctors believe in
immobilizing the neck for a period of two to three weeks before beginning physical therapy.
Damage to Vehicles
Trucks are capable of doing great physical damage to a vehicle at slow speeds and if the car that the
truck has collided with is in the drivers front blind spot, he or she may end up pushing the vehicle into
an intersection or another vehicle before noticing the accident. The truck driver is not only liable for the
damage done to the car that was hit, but he or she is also liable if the vehicle collided with any other
vehicle as part of a pileup accident. The driver and the company he or she drives for may be required to
pay damages for every single vehicle involved in the crash and to pay all of the resulting hospital bills for
all of the people hurt in the accident.
Defective Equipment
When you are involved in any kind of motor vehicle accident, especially truck accidents, the equipment
that you rely on to save your life can also reduce the severity of any injuries you might sustain. When
that equipment is defective, it can mean the difference between life and death. All of the equipment on
semi-tractors, flatbeds, delivery trucks and other commercial vehicles must be inspected for flaws on a
routine basis. If the equipment on a truck fails and causes an accident, the company that manufactured
it and the company that was responsible for its maintenance can both be held liable the same is true if
the equipment in private vehicles is found to be defective as well.
Seatbelt Failure
Several major automobile manufacturers have needed to recall their vehicles in the past because the
seatbelts malfunctioned when needed in a major crash. The most common error is known as inertial
unlatching, which occurs when the seatbelt isnt completely latched when it has been fastened. The
passenger may pull on it initially and find that it has no give, but in an accident, the impact may jar the
latch and cause it to come loose, rendering the seatbelt useless.
Impacts involving trucks transfer a lot more energy than typical accidents and a defective seatbelt may
be unable to prevent a passenger from hitting the windshield or traveling through it as he or she is
propelled out of the vehicle. The auto manufacturer or designer of the seatbelt is liable in the event that
a passenger is killed or suffers severe injuries because of the failure of his or her seatbelt. The injuries
that result from these kinds of accidents usually alter the victims life permanently if he or she survives
and pain and suffering must be taken into consideration.
Defective Car Seats
Children can be seriously injured in low impact car accidents if the car seat that is holding them in
position fails to work properly. The impact of a truck is so much more severe that if a car seat fails
during an accident involving a truck, the child is likely to suffer severe injuries if the child lives. Some car
seats collapse upon impact, offering no protection at all to the children they are designed to protect.
Car accidents are already the top cause of death in the United States for children between the ages of
one and twelve and defective car seats have contributed not only to the deaths of children, but also to
traumatic brain injuries, fractures to the skull and face and strangulation.
Tire Blow Outs
According to a study done in Europe, roughly 6.7% of accidents are caused by tire blowouts that cause
the driver of a vehicle to lose control and collide with another vehicle or damage property. Truck tire
blowouts are usually more dangerous to vehicles that happen to be nearby than they are to the truck
driver, due to the distribution of weight over eighteen tires. In some instances, a blown tire may cause a
trucker to lose control and cause a truck accident, however. The main concern over a blown truck tire is
the size of the tire, the pressure of the blast and the resulting debris.
Damage to Other Vehicles on the Road
Simply running over a truck tire tread can damage a vehicle and if the vehicle is near the truck at the
time of a blowout, the tread may hit the hood of the car or the windshield, causing damage to the car
and possibly causing another accident as the driver of the vehicle attempts to avoid the debris. The
physical force of the tire blowing out is enough to damage a car that is driving alongside the truck at the
time it blows out. These incidents have been known to claim the lives of other drivers on the road and
cause severe injuries in other instances.
Vans More Prone to Blowouts
In the study, it was revealed that vans were much more likely to have blown tires than any other type
of vehicle. Of the accidents studied, 22% occurred in vans, which are extremely popular commercial
vehicles used in the delivery of mail and packages. Blowouts in vehicles that have only four wheels are at
greater risk of causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and collide with another. Since rear wheel
blowouts have a higher frequency of lost control, it is recommended to place better tires on the rear
wheels and to inspect them often for signs that they may need to be replaced.
The Frequency of Blowouts Contributing to Accidents
Luckily 87% of accidents that were the result of blowouts only involved a single vehicle, but even if the
vehicle failed to collide with another, there is still a risk of property damage, especially in the event that
the driver of a large tractor trailer loses control. In 13% of the tire blowouts, at least one other vehicle
was involved in the accident and this number, while not a majority, is still significant. If a truck driver
experiences a blowout due to a failure of the trucking company to properly maintain and replace the
trucks tires, the company may face litigation for any damages that result.
Tire and vehicle manufacturers may face heat as well if it is found that a blowout related to a serious
accident could have been caused by a defective part or tire. Most truck tires are not new tires, however,
and are refurbished with new treads in order to cut back on the cost of replacing the whole tire. This
practice may be a contributing factor in the number of truck accidents that occur as a result of a tire
blowout. There is nothing wrong with using a refurbished product if it is safe, but if a company fails
to inspect equipment that could cause a truck accident in the event of a failure, that company must
account for any damages that result.
Bus Accidents
Any vehicle that is designed to transport ten passengers or more, not including the driver qualifies as
a bus under law and is to be treated as such. Most buses are large and long enough to have the same
kinds of blind spots that a semi-tractor would while other buses are as compact as a passenger van. In
2008, there were over 843,000 registered buses in the United States and roughly 11,000 accidents that
involved buses. While the amount of buses that are involved in bus accidents is relatively small, the
impact on peoples lives is still great 24,000 people were injured or killed by a bus in 2008.
Accidents with Vehicles
Due to the nature of public transportation, buses are constantly stopping and going, picking people up
and dropping them off along the way. While buses attempt to merge back into traffic, many accidents
occur due to cars either being in the bus drivers blind spot or the driver pulling out too fast. Other
accidents may be the result of the driver being in a hurry to complete his or her route and traveling too
fast on busy streets. If a bus driver is at fault for an accident with another vehicle, the driver and the
owner of the bus are both liable for the damage to the vehicle and the cost of any medical treatment
that is required.
Accidents Involving Pedestrians
When the streets are flooded with pedestrians crossing streets and looking for cabs in the city, the risks
are higher that those pedestrians might be involved in accidents with a vehicle or a bus that is being
operated by someone who is not paying attention. Many of these accidents result in severe injuries or
deaths and could be prevented if drivers quit being in such a rush and pay more attention. Both the
driver and the bus company need to account for any injury or death that results from an accident that is
the fault of the driver.
Injured Passengers
Bus accidents affect passengers on the bus, who are thrown from their seats or sustain injuries from the
impact of a collision. The bus driver is responsible for the safe delivery of passengers to their destination
and any passenger who is injured has the right to pursue damages. Bus drivers who are transporting
children to or from school need to be cautious and ensure the safety of every child on the bus in order
to avoid litigation.
Whenever passengers are involved, it is imperative that drivers are safe and cautious in order to avoid
exposing their employers to multiple lawsuits that will harm the company financially and cost at fault
drivers their jobs. Unfortunately, most bus drivers are not adequately trained to be trusted with the lives
of all of the passengers that they cart around each and every day. Bus companies will not make any
changes to their training programs unless they are held to account when their drivers cause accidents
that injure or kill others on the road or riding the bus.
Cement Truck Accidents
Cement trucks are not like ordinary trucks and have a much higher risk of being involved in severe
accidents that can cause severe injuries or death. Because of the weight displacement in the back of the
vehicle, cement trucks are more prone to roll over accidents than ordinary trucks and these accidents
cause much more potential damage to property and people than most other truck accidents. Cement
truck drivers are more likely to be in a rush to get to their destinations and their hastiness combined with
the tendency for their vehicles to roll over or lose control as a result of very minor errors make them a
hazard on the road that cannot be ignored.
Time Sensitive Cargo
The cement carried in cement trucks is constantly rotated in order to prolong the amount of time that it
will take for it to harden, but if a driver is unable to deliver the cement on time it could dry inside of the
mixer. Most of these trucks do not travel long distances from the place of pickup to the site of delivery
because they have an average of about an hour and a half to deliver the cement before it hardens. This is
why cement truck drivers are more likely to take risks that could put others and themselves in danger.
Risk of Rollover
The weight distribution of a cement truck almost invites disaster and they have been known to roll over
at speeds as low as 5 MPH. Turns must be taken very carefully in order to make sure that the vehicle
remains upright and if a driver is in a hurry, he or she may not slow down or make as wide of a turn as
is required to transport the cement in a safe manner. Sudden maneuvers at high speeds pose the same
risk; making cement trucks a potential hazard on interstates or highways.
Mechanical Failures
Cement trucks have more equipment on them than normal tractor trailers, which means that there are
more opportunities for something to go wrong. There is a history of instability around cement trucks
and it is not uncommon for components to break or malfunction both on and off of the road. If you find
yourself behind a cement truck, it is a good idea to put space between your vehicle and the truck in
order to allow yourself ample time to react if any part of the truck breaks and sends debris onto the road.
Poor Maneuverability and Line of Sight
The weight distribution of a cement results in a high center of gravity, which is why the trucks are so
prone to rollover accidents. It is extremely difficult for the driver of a cement truck to make a quick
correction and once he or she makes a move into another lane or starts a turn, he or she is often
committed to that action. Many motorists do not realize this fact and believe that cement trucks drivers
are able to react as quickly as any other truck driver when this simply isnt the case.
Big trucks have four very large blind spots to begin with, and cement trucks have more blind areas than a
semi-tractor trailer does. When approaching a cement truck on the road, it is important to know that the
driver may not be able to see you, making it important to pass the truck quickly rather than remaining in
the drivers blind spot for a long time. The practice of passing any truck on the road as quickly as safely
possible will prevent many truck accidents on the road.
Trucking Accident Injuries
So many of the clients I help have either lost loved ones or suffered life changing injuries during their
trucking accidents. It comes as no surprise to anyone that the nature of these accidents results in more
serious harm to the body despite every advance in safety technology that weve seen. Trucks have the
ability to completely crush vehicles under their weight, and there is very little that victims can do to
reduce the severity of an impact.
Ive provided the following information about common trucking accident injuries to motorists,
pedestrians and truck drivers alike so that you can understand the nature of these events and why it
is important that victims are able to recover every bit of compensation they need to help with their
physical recoveries and any ongoing care that is necessary.
Injuries to Motorists
Not enough has changed statistically since the late 1980s concerning the number of truck accidents and
deaths related to truck injuries. In 1988, there were about 94,000 accidents which resulted in around
130,000 injuries. Data from 2005 shows that while the number of accidents has dropped, the number of
truck crashes on the road each year is still high and far too many people are injured as a result. 78,000
incidents were reported in 2005 and 114,000 resulted in injuries of some form.
Shattered Bones and Lacerations
Accidents involving big trucks are much more devastating than accidents that involve two cars and the
injuries are much more severe as a result. Shattered glass and sharp pieces of metal may cause deep
lacerations that require immediate medical attention and could pose the risk of infection which may
cause gangrene or create the need to amputate the affected limb. Lacerations may also tear muscle
tissue, remove portions of skin or leave unsightly scars that can only be repaired through expensive
surgeries.
The high impact of the accident may also result in complex fractures or shattered bones that require
surgery in order to repair. When bone shatters, it usually requires internal fixation in order to set the
pieces of bone back into place to promote healing. Internal fixation is the process of inserting devices
such as screws, pins or plates into the bones to hold them into place. In some instances, bone grafting is
required to repair bones that have been shattered so badly that healthy bone matter from another area
of the body may be required in order to repair the injured area.
Motorcyclists Injured by Trucks
Because motorcyclists are already afforded so little protection on the road, injuries cyclists sustain when
in a collision with a truck are devastating. If the motorcyclist survives, he or she usually sustains broken
or shattered bones, lacerations, injuries to the spine and neck or trauma to the brain. These injuries
usually require extremely expensive medical care and leave the victim unable to work for a long period
of time as he or she recovers.
Injuries to the Spine
The high impact of a crash with a truck may do severe damage to the spine, causing any number of
conditions that range from temporary or partial paralysis to full paralysis of part or all of the body.
Injuries to the spine may cost the victim from $40,000 to over $170,000 each year after initial medical
costs of as much as $1 million in the first year. A 25 year old who suffers from paraplegia may be required
to pay $4.3 million over his or her lifetime for medical care.
Pain and Suffering
In these types of cases, pain and suffering is a considerable factor due to the fact that the victim usually
needs to live with the injuries he or she sustained for a long time, if not for a lifetime. Being forced to live
in pain for years or decades qualifies as pain and suffering which the courts see as a form of damages
that can be compensated through a financial judgment. The money awarded to victims for pain and
suffering will allow them to live more comfortably with the effects of their injuries.
Injuries to Pedestrians
All traffic is required to yield to pedestrians on the road and to be aware of their presence even if they
cross the street illegally. Any vehicle is capable of severely injuring a pedestrian, but big trucks are
extremely dangerous due to drivers limited ability to see what is just in front of them and the large
size and weight of the truck itself. Truck accidents that involve pedestrians often result in the death of
the pedestrian and if a pedestrian survives, his or her injuries may require a lot of time and therapy to
recover from.
Causes of Accidents Involving Pedestrians
Many of the accidents between trucks and pedestrians occur when the truck driver is making a turn. The
pedestrian may be crossing the street at the time that the driver turns right and the driver simply fails
to notice the pedestrian. The same type of incident may occur when the driver is turning left, but truck
drivers have a much better line of sight when they are turning left that when they are making a right turn
due to the fact that there is a blind spot on the front right side of the truck that is larger than the same
spot on the left.
Adverse weather conditions can affect a trucks ability to stop and some pedestrians are hit by trucks
when it is raining or snowing and the truck driver is unable to stop to avoid an accident. Nighttime
conditions make it hard for drivers to see people walking near or across the road and accidents may
result if the driver does not see the pedestrian crossing the road. In many instances, the driver is going
too fast for the conditions to begin with and an accident might have been averted if he or she had
slowed down during inclement weather conditions.
Severity of Injuries to Pedestrians
Trucks are capable of shattering bones and causing deep lacerations to the passengers of vehicles, so
it is hard to fathom the amount of damage that a truck can do to the human body when colliding with
it directly. Many accidents involving pedestrians who survive occur at lower speeds, such as when a
truck turns right at a stop light and hits the pedestrian, but even at low speeds, bones can be broken
and shattered and the pedestrian can incur injuries to the back, neck or head. The initial cost for care for
some of these injuries is high and if surgery is required, or the injury causes paralysis, the ongoing costs
can create a heavy financial burden on the victim.
Children Injured in Trucking Accidents
Car seats are required as an alternative to seat belts for children in every single state in the United States
now due to the fact that seat belts designed for adults can cause children more harm than good. The
problem with childrens car seats, however, is that many of them are improperly secured and cannot
withstand any substantial impact such as the kind that would occur in a truck accident. Because car
seats often fail in accidents that involve a car and a large truck, injuries to children are often more severe
and have a higher mortality rate.
Defective Latches and Improperly Secured Car Seats
In a study performed in the late 1990s, it was found that over 80% of car seats were improperly installed
into vehicles or improperly used by parents. Several parties can be responsible for the problem from
the car manufacturer failing to provide effective mechanisms that support the installation of the seats
to the company that produced the seat or the persons securing their children in them. In the event of an
accident, defective latches can come undone or the harness itself can come loose, making the car seat
ineffective.
Five Point Harness System
Since 1996, companies have moved toward production of a five point harness system that is designed
to distribute the energy of an impact to the strongest parts of the body. When this type of car seat is
installed and used properly, it greatly reduces the risk of death or serious injuries to children in the back
seat. However, in collisions in which a truck hits a car from behind, the impact may still be substantial
enough to inflict injuries to childrens neck, head and spine. The good news is that car seats do reduce
the severity of injuries by 60%, but when a large truck is involved, injuries still tend to be severe.
If the car seat is front facing, the back side of the car seat can collapse if the rear end of the car crumples
under the weight of a large truck. Injuries to small children can affect their development, memory,
concentration, ability and behavior for the rest of their lives. The cost of medical care can be a burden on
the childs parents and then on the child for his or her entire life.
Determining Fault
If your child was injured in a truck crash, an experienced truck injury lawyer will be able to review the
case in order to determine if the car seat worked properly and, if it failed to work as it was designed,
whether the car seats failure contributed to a more severe injury. The truck driver and the company
he or she represents will be held liable for their roles in the accident, but additional compensation can
be sought from the manufacturer of the car or car seat if there was in fact a defect in the car seat that
contributed to the childs injuries.
Injuries to Truck Drivers
Not all truck accidents are the fault of the driver and many truck drivers may be injured in accidents
or while performing their everyday duties. Whenever a truck driver is injured on the job, he or she has
the same rights as any other individual and may elect someone to represent him or her in court when
pursuing damages. Before filing a lawsuit, however, it is important to determine who is at fault for the
injuries so that the case can be directed at the proper parties involved.
Injuries to the Spine and Back
A truck drivers job is much more demanding than many people give credit for and truckers handle the
roads for over ten hours at a time sometimes. This takes a toll on drivers spines and musculoskeletal
health, which can lead to severe back injuries that put them out of work while they recover. Statistics
show that truck drivers take more days off of work each year due to injuries to the back or spine than
workers in any other profession.
If the driver is injured while he or she is on the job, the company that employs him or her is responsible
to provide compensation while the driver is off of work. Some companies are better than others at
covering the needs of their injured workers and if proper compensation is denied, the driver has the
right to take the company to court in order to collect what is due. Even if a driver is collecting workers
compensation, it is wise for him or her to speak with an experienced truck injury lawyer to determine if
he or she is being treated fairly.
Injuries Resulting from an Accident
If a truck driver is injured in an accident, several parties may be deemed liable for the resulting medical
bills and time he or she needs to take off of work. If the accident was the result of poorly maintained
parts on the truck, the employer may be liable and if a defective piece of equipment caused the
accident, the manufacturer may be held accountable as well. A qualified truck accident attorney will be
able to evaluate the case to determine which parties are responsible before seeking damages.
The Role of Insurance Companies
If a truck driver is injured in an accident that he or she was at fault for, his or her medical bills and related
costs can be covered by insurance. Truck companies are required by law to ensure that their drivers
have mandatory levels of coverage so that drivers are covered if they are found liable for an accident.
An injured truck driver should never feel that he or she must be forced to carry the entire burden for an
accident just because it was his or her fault.
Trucking Accident Fatalities
There are roughly 80,000 truck accidents every year in the United States and over 4,500 of them involve
one or multiple fatalities. The power of big trucks and their momentum at higher speeds make them
capable of exacting great amounts of damage to property, vehicles and any passenger who happens
to be traveling in an automobile on the opposing end of the crash. Whenever a truck driver causes an
accident that takes the life of another person, both the driver and the trucking company are responsible
and may have lawsuits filed against them for damages.
Accidents with Multiple Deaths
In 2005, there were 4,533 fatal truck crashes reported in the United States and 5,212 deaths resulted from
those accidents. Of those deaths, 803 were truck drivers and the others were the drivers or passengers
of the other vehicles involved. At high speeds, trucks crush other automobiles and the accidents are
devastating enough to claim multiple peoples lives due to the powerful impact and the tendency for
crushed cars to be inaccessible to emergency workers who must get the accident victims out of the
wreck as soon as possible.
Truck drivers are at a much lower risk of death in a truck crash than anyone else involved in the
accident. The drivers are high off the ground and well protected inside the cab of the truck while vehicle
passengers and motorcyclists are closer to the ground. Cars crush easily under the weight of a big truck
and motorcycles offer riders almost no protection, putting the truck driver in the safest location during
the accident.
The Cost of Losing a Loved One
Losing a loved one is not only a burden on the heart, but it becomes a financial burden if the person who
died has been supporting a family. In wrongful death cases, the financial impact of the loss needs to
be taken into consideration and damages must reflect the lost income of the deceased and the impact
that loss of income has on the family. The way that the person died is important as well the court
may award additional damages to compensate for the pain and suffering that the person went through
before his or her death.
Who May File a Lawsuit?
Every state has different statutes stating who may file a lawsuit on behalf of a loved one who has passed
away. If the deceased was young, the parents may file the suit and if the deceased was married it may be
the spouse. If he or she was older, his or her grown children may have the right to take up the case, but in
order to determine who should file the lawsuit; the family should speak with a qualified attorney who is
familiar with the statutes in the state the accident occurred in as well as where the person resided.
How to Handle Insurance Companies
Trucking accident cases tend to be much more complicated due to the involvement of multiple
people and companies when attempting to determine fault and liability. Regardless of fault, however,
it is certain that an insurance company will almost always inevitably cover the payout whenever a
policyholder settles or is forced to provide compensation due to a judgment in favor of the victim.
Due to the vested interest insurance companies have in their clients, you can be sure that even as you
are receiving emergency treatment for your injuries, the trucking company liable for your injuries is
contacting its insurance company and legal team.
Insurance Companies Have a Head Start
It is almost appalling to think that while you are focused on more important things such as your own
survival after sustaining critical injuries lawyers representing the responsible parties are convening to
build a legal defense in the event you press your claim. This is why when I tell potential clients that they
need to initiate the process quickly, it isnt a pressure tactic. I simply need the time to be able to cover
lost ground and build a solid case on your behalf.
It is also important to be aware of the forms of trickery insurance adjusters may use in an attempt to
violate your rights or to coerce you into giving them up voluntarily.
Tactics Used by Insurance Companies to Avoid Liability
You will never be contacted by an insurance company following an accident because the insurance
adjuster is looking out for your best interests. The communications between you and the insurance
companys representative will be recorded and the questions asked will be meant to catch you saying
something that could be used against you in court. If you misremember the slightest detail and your
story conflicts with a claim you originally made, it can be used to call the validity of your testimony into
question.
The insurance adjuster may also offer a premature settlement that provides inadequate compensation
and make threats when you choose to reject the offer or mention that you are seeking legal
representation.
While there are things you can do to protect yourself in these situations, the greatest advice that I can
give is to only communicate through an attorney. It is your right to do so and insurance companies try to
scare people from obtaining legal representation because they know an experienced attorney will see
past their trickery.
If you do communicate with an insurance company, keep in mind that every word you say can be used
as evidence, so keep your answers brief and dont divulge any critical information. If you are offered a
settlement, tell the adjuster that you want to have the details of the offer reviewed by an attorney before
you accept.
Handling insurance companies is one of the most important facets of working as a personal injury lawyer
and my legal team has extensive experience working with insurance companies on a wide variety of legal
matters. I would be happy to communicate with any insurance adjusters on your behalf or to prepare
you before you accept any calls from an insurance company regarding your accident so that your rights
remain protected.
Why Trucking Accident Victims

Need and Deserve an
Experienced Advocate
The world is full of sumptuous lawyers who prey on the desire of those who want to cash in. A sue happy
mentality has led to greater protections for defendants, and the unfortunate effect of these protections
is that it is more difficult to reclaim compensation for those who have legitimate cases. You deserve an
advocate who will always be upfront, honest and realistic. These qualities also need to be accompanied
by experience specific to your type of case.
In order to best increase your chance of recovering the compensation you are entitled to, you need to
retain an attorney that specializes in trucking law. I suggest to all of my potential clients that they shop
around for an attorney before deciding who will take their case, because it is important that you are
connected with a lawyer who represents your ideals, interests and needs; and has the resources needed
to help you achieve your goals.
I always refer to relevant judgments and settlements earned on behalf of my clients when offering proof
of my teams abilities and expertise. The attorney that you ultimately select needs to be able to offer
similar examples so that you are confident in his or her ability to recover compensation on your behalf.
In addition, your attorney should possess the following qualities.
The ability to provide reasonable expectations. I never make promises to clients that I am unable
to keep, such as overvaluing a case or overstating the chances of a cases success. You should
be extremely wary of any lawyer that makes outrageous claims which seem far too good to be
true. I always seek compensation on behalf of clients that is fair and will allow them to cover their
expenses, pain and suffering. The value of every case is dependent on the circumstances of the
accident, however, and I will let you know what the assumed value of your case should really be.
Access to a team that includes relevant experts in medicine, accident reconstruction and social
work. Medical specialists are the source of valuable testimony when needing to justify the value
of future medical bills, and having access to these experts also makes it easier for you to get the
treatment you need and deserve. Social workers can help you throughout your recovery and
transition into a different quality of living if your injuries are permanent and quality accident
reconstruction experts are instrumental in building your case. When you are interviewing potential
attorneys, it is important to understand what resources they have available because winning your
case requires more than simple legal expertise it takes a dedicated and comprehensive team.
Experience with truck accident cases and proven results. There are some excellent attorneys in the
world who are simply unqualified to handle your case. This is just due to the fact that they dont
have relevant experience handling cases like your own. When choosing the person to represent
your interests, it is vital that he or she is an expert in trucking accident law or he or she may make
critical errors when preparing your case and handling negotiations.
The ability to guarantee results. Some attorneys will not touch a case unless they are certain
of their ability to win the case or negotiate a settlement. Others will accept the case with the
knowledge that you have a low chance of success. The way to differentiate these attorneys is to
evaluate how they get paid. If they require their fees upfront, they wont have a vested interest
in the outcome and preparing lawsuits is expensive. Lawyers who work on contingency can
guarantee their results and offer quality legal services regardless of whether a client can afford to
cover the cost of litigation.
I would love the opportunity to sit down with you and review your case, and I wont be insulted if you
seek a second or third opinion after speaking to me. I am sure that my legal teams history of success will
speak for itself and am happy to back up my claims with examples of recoveries Ive made on behalf of
clients with cases just like yours. While I invite you to explore your legal options and interview multiple
attorneys, I must remind you that time is not on your side.
Whether or not you retain my services, it is vital that you obtain an attorney quickly to give him or her
ample time to prepare your case.
Learn more about our truck accident practice by visiting our FAQ section here.
Our Trucking Accident Case Results
You can find examples of judgements and settlements I and my team have earned on behalf of clients
just like you below. I would like to remind you that every case is valued based on unique circumstances,
so I cannot provide an estimate on the value of your own case until Ive had the opportunity to review
and investigate your claim.
$616,772 Four friends were on their way home from dinner when a truck ignored a traffic light and
t-boned them. The impact was so significant that rescue workers needed to remove them from their
vehicle with the jaws of life. Two of the passengers were released from the hospital the following day.
The other two spent approximately one week in the hospital before receiving outpatient care.
$2,750,000 Over $2.75 million was awarded to the victim in a bicyclist accident involving a truck
when it was determined that the truck driver acted negligently.
$750,000 Truck loading dock accident involving a truck driver who was pinned by a forklift operator
who was unloading pallets at an electronic warehouse. The driver sustained a crush injury to his leg
and received two surgeries for a diagnosed case of compartment syndrome. In addition to the recovery
from the company of the forklift operator, the driver also received benefits from his employers workers
compensation carrier.
$3,000,000 Motor vehicle / trucking accident. A disabled man was crossing a street with his blind
cane when a garbage truck making a right turn collided with him in the intersection. The man suffered
bilateral femur fractures and de-gloving injuries, which required extensive surgeries and rehabilitation.
$720,000 After getting rear-ended by a semi-truck with a double trailer, our client thought he was ok
and went to work. After gradually increasing pain, he went to an urgent care center where he was told he
sprained his back. Three days later, and practically unable to walk, our client visited his primary care
physician where he was referred to an orthopedist. An MRI was performed and showed two herniated
discs in his lower back. A three level lumbar fusion was performed several weeks later.
$1,400,000 Semi truck accident. Our clients, a mother and daughter, were stopped at a red light
when they were rear-ended by a semi-truck delivering food to a nearby restaurant. The driver of the
truck had been driving for hours beyond what his company allowed and was in violation of NTSB laws.
Both mother and daughter sustained herniated discs in their lower back. The daughter was treated with
physical therapy and epidural injections while the mother required an L4/5 fusion.
$805,500 Truck v. bicycle collision. Our client was struck by a truck making a right turn directly into
his marked bike lane. The impact with the truck and the pavement resulted in a compound clavicle
fracture and rotator cuff damage that required multiple surgeries. Our client, a physical education
teacher missed one year of school while he recovered from his injuries but was able to resume teaching
following his physical therapy.
$480,000 Collision caused by driver fatigue. It was determined that the truck driver who struck our
client had been working for far too long and he and his company were held liable for our clients injuries.
$2,850,000 Injured trucker. Truck drivers can suffer injuries in accidents too, and our client was
injured in an accident while on the job. Workers compensation laws require that all employers provide
compensation to injured employees and we were able to recover compensation for our clients medical
expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident, contact me right away so that I can review your case with
no risk or cost to you. In the event you cannot meet with me at one of my offices throughout the Chicago
area or are more comfortable meeting elsewhere, I will be happy to travel to meet with you at the
location you choose. My trucking accident law team will review your case and discuss your legal rights
and options with you so that you know exactly what to expect from us and how the process works.
For more information on Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, you can visit www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com. I
look forward to serving you.

Truck Accident Guidebook

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Truck Accident Guidebook

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Truck Accident

Copyright 2017 by Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Why Trucking Accident Victims Deserve a Book to Protect Their Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Why Trucking Accident

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

Laws Regarding Truck Driver Hours of Service

The Responsibility of Trucking Companies

The Impact of Speed on Stopping Distance

Alcohol and Drug Use

The Effects of Alcohol on Reaction Time

Why Marijuana Presents the Same Risks

Narcotics and Other Drugs

Poorly Loaded or Secured Cargo

Multiple Parties Responsible

Road Construction Zones

Work Zone Related Fatalities

Effectiveness of Construction Laws

The Need for Speed in the Trucking Industry

Federal Regulation Regarding Inspection and Maintenance

Blind Spot Accidents

The Four No Zones

Passing a Truck Safely

Smaller Trucks and Delivery Vehicles

Rear End Collisions

Defective Car Seats

Tire Blow Outs

Damage to Other Vehicles on the Road

Vans More Prone to Blowouts

The Frequency of Blowouts Contributing to Accidents

Accidents with Vehicles

Accidents Involving Pedestrians

Cement Truck Accidents

Time Sensitive Cargo

Poor Maneuverability and Line of Sight

Trucking Accident Injuries

Shattered Bones and Lacerations

Motorcyclists Injured by Trucks

Injuries to the Spine

Pain and Suffering

Causes of Accidents Involving Pedestrians

Severity of Injuries to Pedestrians

Children Injured in Trucking Accidents

Defective Latches and Improperly Secured Car Seats

Five Point Harness System

Injuries to Truck Drivers

Injuries to the Spine and Back

Injuries Resulting from an Accident

The Role of Insurance Companies

Trucking Accident Fatalities

Accidents with Multiple Deaths

The Cost of Losing a Loved One

Who May File a Lawsuit?

How to Handle Insurance Companies

Insurance Companies Have a Head Start

Tactics Used by Insurance Companies to Avoid Liability

Why Trucking Accident Victims

Our Trucking Accident Case Results

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi