Professional Representation From A Firm With A Board-Certified Personal Injury Specialist On-Site
Although commercial trucks have enormous destructive force, they are generally very safe as long as truckers and the companies that own the equipment act with reasonable caution. Unfortunately, safety violations are rampant within the trucking industry, and commercial drivers too often violate the rules of the road, causing injury and wrongful death to innocent parties. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, Dobbs & Porter is prepared to help. Trucking accidents present a number of difficulties when it comes to proving causation and liability, so the attorney you choose should be up to the task. We are more than able to challenge large trucking companies to demand justice for the clients we represent.
Commercial Truck Safety Regulations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates the trucking industry by writing rules and conducting inspections throughout the United States. Aspects of the industry for which NHTSA has developed regulations include:
- Driver training
- Drivers’ hours behind the wheel
- Equipment maintenance
- Load weights
Unfortunately, NHTSA does not have enough inspectors to enforce regulations as rigorously as needed. Companies and drivers often violate the rules with impunity. Companies hire unskilled drivers, allow fatigued drivers to work too many hours over too short a time and even put equipment back into service after it has failed inspection. Companies also put pressure on drivers to meet unrealistic delivery deadlines. All this noncompliance makes the highways much more dangerous than they should be.
Common Causes Of Commercial Truck Accidents In Texas
Unfortunately, Texas leads the nation in commercial truck accidents. In 2016, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 34,108 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles that resulted in 1,426 incapacitating injuries and 584 deaths. Common causes of truck crashes include:
- Aggressive driving
- Fatigued driving
- Driver distraction
- Equipment failure, especially the brakes
- Tire blowouts
- Poorly loaded cargo
- Overloaded cargo
- Passenger car interference
- Poor road design, construction or maintenance
Discovering what exactly caused an accident involving a tractor-trailer or other large truck can be much more complicated than the average auto accident. We consult prominent accident reconstruction experts to pinpoint the cause of the crash and identify the party who is at fault.
Who Is Liable For A Commercial Truck Accident?
Liability is legal responsibility for an accident. When a driver causes an accident through negligence, that person bears responsibility, but the employer is also liable under the law. Other possible defendants include subcontracting companies that maintain the equipment and load the cargo. If the crash resulted from equipment failure, the manufacturer of the equipment could be held liable. If poor road conditions led to the crash, liability could fall on the entity responsible for maintaining the road.
As your personal injury attorney in your trucking accident claim, my mission is to assemble the evidence necessary to prove liability, protect you from allegations of contributory negligence and help a jury understand the full extent of your injuries so you can recover the full compensation you deserve.
Contact An Experienced Truck Accident Attorney In East Texas For A Free Consultation
If you have been hurt in a commercial truck accident, trust your claim to our experienced injury lawyers. Call Dobbs & Porter at 903-310-1433 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation at our Tyler office.