Tractor-trailers are the heart and soul of our nation’s transportation industry. Tractor-trailers are also known as 18-wheelers, big rigs, and semi trucks. Although tractor-trailers may be vital to American commerce and transportation, they can cause unbelievable damages and injuries when involved in an accident.
A fully loaded tractor-trailer may weigh in excess of 80,000 lbs. To manage such bulky payloads, commercial truck drivers receive extensive safety training to learn how to safely and responsibly operate these machines on public roads. In fact, tractor-trailer drivers must hold special commercial drivers’ licenses.
Unfortunately, despite proper training and safety techniques, accidents involving tractor-trailers occur regularly.
More often than not, the most severely injured victims of these accidents are not the drivers of the tractor-trailers themselves, but the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles unlucky enough to get caught up in a crash.
The Terrible Results of a Tractor-Trailer Accident
Crashes involving tractor-trailers can result in lasting problems for those involved. The victims of big rig truck accidents often find themselves burdened with:
- expensive medical bills that can decimate savings and cripple financial well-being
- disabilities (short-term and permanent) that can be life-altering
- missed work /lost wages, which can further complicate financial concerns
- property damage expenses, which are not always covered by insurance
- mental anguish and strife during recovery, which is difficult to quantify and can cause permanent harm
Common Causes of Tractor-Trailer Accidents
About 90 percent of the time, human error is responsible for causing devastating commercial truck accidents. The most common causes include:
- driver fatigue. Truck drivers are often paid per mile. If a driver is sleeping, he or she isn’t getting paid. Because of this, drivers sometimes forego safety guidelines and drive while fatigued to earn more money. Many experts consider driver fatigue to be as dangerous a distraction as driving while under the influence.
- driving while intoxicated, because of alcohol or over-the-counter drugs
- driver inexperience. When drivers haven’t received the proper safety training – especially when operating a large, heavy commercial vehicle – they often do not have necessary skills to cope with challenges that occur on the open road.
- negligence. Some drivers disregard public traffic laws and knowingly commit moving violations.
When human error isn’t involved, tractor-trailers may be involved in accidents caused by:
- mechanical failure and defective equipment
- inclement weather
- unstable cargo/improper loading procedures
- debris, lack of visibility, or poor road conditions
Have you or a loved one been affected by a tractor-trailer accident? Contact Goldberg & Osborne today to speak to an experienced commercial truck accident attorney. Please feel free to fill out our online claim form to start the process.
Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorneys
Goldberg & Osborne tractor-trailer accident attorneys work diligently to fight for victims. Our focused lawyers will protect your interests and preserve your rights to a claim. Our firm provides a free initial consultation to help accident victims explore their rights. During this consultation, we will examine the details of your accident to determine if you have a legitimate claim – completely free of charge.
Our legal team is sensitive to your emotions during the time following an accident. You may have many questions about your accident involving a tractor-trailer. Our truck accident attorneys will provide you with the answers you are seeking.
- Our lawyers will protect your interests and preserve your rights to a claim.
- Our firm will provide a free initial consultation to help accident victims explore their rights.
At Goldberg & Osborne, we can start the majority of your case by phone and email, so there is no need to come to our office. Best of all, we work on a contingency basis, which means you pay only if we win.
If you have been involved in a semi truck accident, don’t wait. Call for your free, no obligation consultation. We can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (800) 566-0585 or SUBMIT A SHORT AND SIMPLE CASE FORM HERE.
