Accidents involving commercial trucks are never pretty, and even if you and your passengers escape any serious bodily harm, chances are that your vehicle requires extensive repairs to be back in working order. The cost of repairs, coupled with the additional expenses owing to vehicle downtime are likely to be significant, for which a fair compensation can be obtained with the right planning and approach.
There are specific laws pertaining to commercial trucks, and truck drivers, and oftentimes, accidents occur when such laws are flouted.
By being aware of the laws in question, and taking the right steps to document what transpired, and how it occurred, winning the right compensation for the troubles, losses, and injuries is perfectly possible, along with a seasoned personal injury lawyer.
Laws Applying To Truck Drivers
Driver errors remain the leading cause of truck crashes, responsible for 13% of the accidents in recent years. This is often a result of fatigue, with drivers being forced to meet deadlines, they tend to work beyond 8 to 10 hours, causing drowsiness, reduced attention span, and sloppy reaction times. However, this can also be the result of driving under the influence of alcohol, or any other inebriating substances.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has enacted a number of laws to combat such issues, and according to these new regulations, truck drivers cannot legally drive for over 11 hours in a row, and must rest for at least 10 hours before hitting the road again. The law also requires that the driver take a 30 minute break after 8 hours of constant driving, and restricts driving to 60 hours per week, and 70 hours over a period of 8 days.
In the case of an accident, if the truck driver is found to be flouting these rules, the trucking company, and the driver can be held liable for compensatory and punitive damages to be paid to the victims.
In order to accurately prove such violations, however, the victims, or the claimants have to take a series of steps to effectively document the incident.
What To Do After a Truck Hits Your Vehicle?
It can sometimes be difficult to prove the cause of an accident, particularly when a problem like a tired driver caused the crash. However, the steps you take post the accident are critical to protecting your right to compensation for injury or damage.
Let us look at a few key steps to take right after your vehicle gets hit by a truck.
1. Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you should do after an accident is to remain calm and call 911. Make sure both the ambulance and police services are informed about the accident.
Calling the police will ensure any evidence can be documented immediately and the ambulance service will respond to any medical emergencies.
2. Identify Witnesses
Check the accident area to identify anybody who may have seen what happened and collect witness statements. Collect the contact info of people who said they witnessed the accident.
3. Document The Evidence
You need to document as much proof as possible at the accident scene to be able to prove that you are not responsible for it.
Take photographs of your vehicle and the surroundings, and take copies of pictures and videos taken by other people.
4. Call A Lawyer
Getting a personal injury lawyer, specializing in truck accidents involved in the matter at the earliest can help you work through the legal process.
A lawyer specialized in truck accidents can also work with you to get the settlement amount to cover your vehicle damage and any necessary medical treatments.
How To Find A Specialist Truck Accident Lawyer?
Having dealt with a number of cases related to truck accidents, a specialist lawyer in this niche can be very helpful in making your case. They can identify facts, information, and details even with sparse evidence, and can do this much better than a general practitioner, or personal injury lawyer.
When selecting a lawyer make sure to look for large truck accident cases in the surrounding regions, and the attorneys who’ve dealt with them. If they are convinced with your case, they might even take it up based on a contingency fee, where they will only be paid a share of the compensation, and nothing upfront.
Final Words
All of this, of course, is easier said than done, and in the case of an actual truck accident, even if you’re able to just walk away from it, chances are that you are too shaken to notice, or follow any of the guidelines mentioned above.
Ideally, the best course of action is to contact 911, and explain the situation as clearly as possible, the other aspects will usually be dealt with by the cops.
