Nearly every truck accident results in serious or deadly injuries. Weighing over 10,000 pounds, 18-wheelers can severely impact any vehicle it collides with. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 4,761 people killed in crashes involving large trucks in 2017. There was also a 12 percent increase in the total number of people killed in large truck accidents.
Identifying the cause of the collision is one of the most important things to do after a truck accident. The cause of a truck accident isn’t as obvious as it is with a car accident. In many cases, there is more than one factor to blame for a truck accident. Without adequately identifying what factors caused the collision, it may be difficult for those injured in a truck accident to get the compensation they need to recover.
Since 1987, the Los Angeles truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus have been helping clients injured in truck accidents get the compensation they deserve. If you or your loved one have been injured in a truck accident, contact our firm today at (800) 905-8777.
Why Are Truck Accidents So Common?
The large size and weight of an 18-wheeler can make any accident catastrophic. Although every truck accident is different, most of them are preventable. Human error is one of the most common factors that contribute to truck accidents. In most truck accidents, there is a combination of circumstances or human error that caused the collision. If you were injured in a truck accident, an experienced attorney from our firm can investigate your case to determine what caused the crash.
Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Los Angeles
Truck accidents occur because of various reasons. The most common causes of truck accidents include driver fatigue, driver negligence, defective truck equipment, or negligent maintenance.
Tired Truck Drivers
According to the FMCSA, more than 13 percent of truck accidents were caused in part by driver fatigue. Truck drivers work for long hours and usually prefer to drive late at night. For such reasons, fatigue and drowsiness are a common factor in truck accidents. Fatigue affects every driver because it slows down their reaction time, decreases situational awareness, impairs judgment, and lack of focus. Studies show that driving fatigued is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Truck Driver Negligence
FMCSA’s research shows that seven percent of truck accidents are caused due to negligent driving, such as failing to keep the proper distance between other vehicles. Distracted driving is another common cause of truck accidents.
Other common types of truck driver negligence include the following:
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Speeding
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Drug or alcohol use
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Unsafe lane change
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Aggressive driving
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Inexperienced drives
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Improperly loaded cargo
Poor Maintenance & Defective Equipment
There are also cases where truck accidents occurred due to poor maintenance or defective equipment. For example, if a truck accident was caused because of faulty breaks or tires, the trucking company or truck manufacturer may be to blame. Time and time again, trucks inspected after a crash are found to have major maintenance defects that would have placed them out of service before the collision.
When truck drivers or truck companies fail to routinely maintain their vehicles, they should be held liable after a truck accident. They have a responsibility to keep their trucks in good condition to prevent accidents on the road.
Who Is at Fault for a Truck Accident?
If you were injured in a truck accident, it’s vital to find out what factors contributed to your truck accident. Our team at The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus can help you investigate your case to determine what caused the accident.
The following may be responsible for your accident:
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Truck Driver: The truck driver may be liable for your accident if they failed to take the proper steps that could have prevented the accident. For example, the truck driver was driving too fast for conditions, made an illegal or unsafe turn, they were texting and driving, or they failed to conduct pre-trip inspections, they can be held liable for their careless behavior.
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Truck Company: In many cases, trucking companies expose their drives to dangerous working conditions. They may also hire drivers without conducting proper background checks, or they may fail to inspect or maintain the rigs in their fleet.
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Truck Manufacturer: Even when a truck driver is safe and follows traffic laws, an accident can still occur. In many cases, a part in the truck is defective, and it causes a truck crash. When this happens, the truck manufacturer is the one who should be held liable for putting a defective part on the truck.
Call Our Los Angeles Truck Accident Attorneys!
If you or your loved one were injured in a truck accident, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. The team at The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus has been helping those injured in truck accidents get the compensation they deserve since 1987. We’ve settled or resolved over 500 cases per year on average. We’ve also recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on our clients’ behalf.
Our team is highly respected by the insurance industry, and we earned the 2017 Best Law Firm of America award. If you suffered injuries in a truck accident, our team is ready to help you investigate your case to determine who should be held liable for the accident.
We are dedicated to helping you from beginning to end. Call our LA truck accident lawyers today at (800) 905-8777 for a free consultation!