Truck accident injuries can be devastating, leaving victims with significant physical and emotional scars. Victims may face a long road to recovery, needing extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation, accompanied by bills piling up as time goes on.
A truck accident injury also affects a victim's personal life, potentially preventing them from engaging in activities they once enjoyed or disrupting their ability to work and provide for themselves or their family. Aside from the immediate physical pain, victims may experience psychological trauma such as anxiety or depression due to the accident.
In some cases, a truck accident injury can mean lifelong disability, meaning that victims must adjust to living with a new normal and find ways to live life despite any limitations they now face.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents can have many causes, but the underlying cause of most collisions is a truck driver’s negligence. When a truck driver isn’t paying attention to the road or engaging in dangerous driving behavior, they put other motorists at risk of serious injury in a collision.
Fatigued Driving
Truck drivers spend a lot of time on the road, and they can lose sleep in their efforts to make sure their cargo gets to where it needs to go. Unfortunately, however, a truck driver’s fatigue makes them vulnerable to making poor decisions on the road or even falling asleep at the wheel.
Either scenario could easily cause them to crash into another vehicle, causing its occupants to suffer from severe injuries.
Distracted Driving
Truck drivers are no less prone to distracted driving than other motorists on the road. While many truck drivers are professionals who take their jobs seriously, they aren’t immune to distractions such as their cell phones, radios, and even conversation with a fellow occupant.
When a truck driver’s attention is taken away from the road, regardless of how long, it can lead to a serious accident.
Driving While Intoxicated
All drivers who drive while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol present a severe risk to other motorists on the road, and truck drivers are no exception. In fact, due to the size and weight of their vehicles, losing control of them can cause even worse damage or injury than a passenger vehicle might cause.
Speeding & Reckless Driving
Truck drivers are obligated to follow the rules of the road, and certain rules apply especially to them. For example, trucks often can’t surpass certain speeds on a highway; and like everyone else, they generally must keep to the right unless passing another vehicle and maintain a safe distance.
Drivers who violate these traffic laws can put others at risk. When a truck driver violates traffic laws, however, they risk losing control of their vehicle. When trucks are hauling fully loaded trailers, they can’t necessarily stop at a moment’s notice or quickly dodge out of the way to avoid a collision. Because of this, truck drivers must always obey all applicable traffic laws.
Get Legal Help After a Truck Accident
If you were injured in a truck accident, it’s important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible. A legal professional such as an advocate from Orr Law Firm can help you with your claim and pursue compensation for injuries sustained in a trucking accident.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Send us a message online now to get started.