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Semi Truck or 18 Wheeler Accidents

Semi-Truck accidents can cause devastating injuries to drivers and passengers on the road. If you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is imperative that you contact an attorney who is experienced with this type of collision. An experienced semi-truck accident attorney will assist you in every step of a lawsuit from helping to make sure you get the medical care you need to help recover from your injuries to obtaining the maximum settlement possible to help you move on with your life.

Possible Truck Accident Causes

There are many possible causes for truck accidents. Three of the most common causes are as follows:
  • Truck Driver: Falling into this category would be factors such as speeding, changing lanes in a dangerous fashion, failing to yield to weather changes, failing to stay in their lane (drifting), not obeying traffic signs, following behind a car at an unsafe distance (tailgating), distracted driving, use of a cell phone or texting while driving, driving while using drugs and driving under the influence of alcohol.
  • Incorrect Loading of Cargo: This means cargo that has not been loaded properly into the vehicle. It includes cargo that has not been properly secured. This causes accidents because cargo, when loaded incorrectly can cause a truck to tip or roll over or causes the driver to lose control of the truck.
  • Poor Maintenance/Improper Inspection: All trucks need to be inspected regularly and well-maintained. Common malfunctions include brake failure, malfunctioning trailer attachments/hitches, and tire blowouts. These malfunctions can cause serious, traumatic and sometimes fatal accidents.

Who is Liable (at fault)?

There are important questions that need to be asked when investigating the liability in a trucking accident. The people and/or company that may be held liable will depend on the answers brought about from the investigation. Examples of these questions can be as follows:
  • Was the driver an independent contractor or do they work for a company?
  • Does the driver own the truck or is it a company-owned vehicle?
  • Has the truck been properly maintained?
  • Was the truck carrying cargo, and if so, was that cargo loaded correctly?
  • Was the accident caused by recklessness of the truck driver or some other form of negligence?

What Should I Do If I’ve Been in a Trucking or 18 Wheeler Accident?

If you have been injured in a semi-truck accident, the attorneys at Law Offices of David E. Gentry are ready to help you. We recommend you take the following steps:
  • CALL THE POLICE: Call the police to the scene as it is important to get a police report of the incident.
  • OBTAIN INSURANCE INFORMATION: Make sure you get the insurance information of any person involved in the accident. Be sure to write down their license plate number, contact number, address, and driver’s license number.
  • DOCUMENT PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURIES: The best record of damages and injuries are photographs. If you can, take numerous pictures of any cars involved, any damage present on any of the cars involved, and any injuries you have incurred.
  • SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION: See your doctor as soon as possible. Make sure all injuries are documented, no matter how minor they might seem.
  • CONSULT AN ATTORNEY: Once you have seen the doctor, your next step is to call a truck accident attorney. We can help you determine what your next actions will be.
Once your attorneys have determined the cause of the accident, we can help you determine which parties are responsible. Responsible parties often include the driver, truck owner if different from the driver, truck manufacturer, manufacturer of specific defective parts on the truck, 3rd party companies that perform truck maintenance, the owner or loader of the cargo, or the company who leases the truck or employs the driver.

Deciding which party against whom to bring your claim against requires very extensive investigation. A truck accident lawyer experienced with large trucks and semi-trucks has the knowledge and experience necessary to handle this claim for you.  It is important to do this as soon as possible, so contact us at (714) 541-4161 to schedule your FREE consultation and case evaluation.