Truck Accident Attorneys: The Benefit Of Hiring One

Sometimes accidents are just accidents. Poor judgment on the road, poor road conditions, etc. can be to blame, but more often than not, situations involving these four ton vehicles are caused by pressures and failures of the trucking industry company who employs the driver.

Lawyers in this field know what questions to ask and how to investigate the companies that hire big rig drivers. There are laws affiliated with how many hours a driver can drive on eight hours of sleep as well as laws that dictate the weight of a load that is being hauled, the speed that should be driven with that weight and distances drivers can log in twenty-four hour periods. All of these things can and should be investigated. 

A driver may be at fault due to not adhering to guidelines, or a company may be at fault for forcing a driver to break the law in order to meet a distance or haul goal. Drivers should also go through rigorous training, pass Certified Driver License (CDL) exams, and maintain current licenses, tags, and permits. These failures can also be a part of a legal case. 

The trucking industry is highly competitive forcing drivers to cut corners, push mileage limits, drive over time limits, go without sleep or take amphetamines in order to meet goals, win bids, and or even just make a living, and while society feels for a person just trying to provide, he cannot do so at the expense of the safety of others. 

If you are in an accident, consider truck accident attorneys immediately. Some would argue that it should be your first call even prior to notifying your insurance company. Insurance companies, both of the plaintiff and the defendant, are known to try to settle by making offers to their clients without going through a lawyer. If a company contacts you, defer to your lawyer. If the other driver contacts you, defer to your lawyer. Always let the lawyer speak on your behalf. You are also urged to make a written account of the incident as soon as possible if you are physically able, and you should ask witnessed to do the same. 

There is a statute of limitations regarding filing charges or investigating a traffic accident, and big rig industries will use this to their advantage. They sometimes try to stretch their communications with you beyond those statutes in order to leave you outside of your filing time limits. 

As your case is being researched, keep documentation of all medical visits and medical costs both to your insurance company and to your personal finances. Document all phone calls and topics of those phone conversations to provide to your truck accident attorney.