Trucking Accidents
Any motor vehicle collision is a serious matter. That being said, a collision with a tractor-trailer, tanker, semi or 18-wheeler is an especially devastating event due to the sheer size of the truck that hits you. While a typical car weighs less than 5,000 lbs, an 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 lbs without any oversized load. Additionally, they are typically 70-80 ft long and take approximately 40% longer to break than an average car does. If you have been involved in an accident or collision with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 85, 385 or anywhere else in Upstate South Carolina, the odds that you were injured in that crash are significant. There are also numerous regulations, statutes and other laws that truck drivers and trucking companies must abide by. Most of these laws are there to protect you from these large, deadly trucks that we are exposed to everyday. However, you may be surprised to learn that trucking companies and their drivers routinely fail to meet these legal obligations. Sometimes, their failures are in the following areas and can lead to accidents:
- Lack of training
- Overloaded trucks
- Oversized trucks
- Brake failure/defect
- Driver inexperience
- Fatigue
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
If you have been injured in a collision with a large commercial vehicle such as a semi or 18-wheeler, it is likely that the insurance company for the trucking company has or will attempt to contact you. Make no mistake about it, the insurance adjuster has one and only one interest in mind – that of the insurance company. The adjuster will likely want you to give a recorded statement, sign “papers” and possibly settle for a very nominal or small amount of money. If you find yourself in a situation like this, call us. Attorney Richard S. Stewart can give you advice on how to best handle your trucking accident case. A truck accident is always a serious event. Get a lawyer who is serious about your case.