Being in a truck accident is a terrifying experience that can result in devastating injuries. While you recover, you may be unable to get back to work. You and your family may be depending on that consistent paycheck. Filing a truck accident claim can help you recover from the financial losses, but this can be difficult to do on your own. When you’re dealing with the impact of severe injuries, you may feel overwhelmed and alone. Having trusted representation at your side can make all the difference. Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP has an experienced, skilled Ottawa truck accident lawyer who will fight to get you full and fair compensation.
The legal process is complicated and having an experienced lawyer represent you can help make sure you’re doing everything possible to give your claim the best chance of success. Our truck accident attorneys have helped truck accident victims recover their financial losses as well as their non-economic damages like pain and suffering and move on from the accident with peace of mind.
When negligence causes your injuries, you’re going to need to hold the party who was at fault responsible. Your lawyer will conduct an investigation to determine who caused the accident and how it could have been prevented. Let’s look into the different parties that may have caused your truck collision.
The Complexities of Truck Wrecks
After an accident involving a semitruck, you may wonder how the accident happened and who was responsible. While they are often the cause, sometimes the truck driver may not be at fault. A party that wasn’t even at the scene of the accident could have caused the collision.
One potential liable party is the trucking company. They have a responsibility to put safe vehicles on the road. If they fail to check the trucks or decide to put unsafe trucks on the road, the vehicle could have an issue that leads to an accident. Additionally, they are required to monitor the number of hours that their drivers are driving to assure that they are within the federally mandated hours rules that are in place under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act. Fatigue is a leading cause of trucking accidents, and not having the proper training in place can also be a cause of a truck crash.
The truck could also have a faulty part, like a defective axle. If these auto parts aren’t made correctly, they could break down as the driver is using the truck and cause an accident. In this case, the liable party may be the truck manufacturer.
Holding large companies responsible for their actions can be intimidating to do on your own. Our Ottawa truck accident lawyer will help you stand up to the company that caused your injuries. We’ll do everything we can to develop a case to show how their negligence harmed you. Speaking up against larger companies could also have other positive outcomes, like the company changing their policies to prevent these problems from happening again.
How Do Truck Driver Errors Happen?
There are situations where the truck driver was at fault. A new driver may lack the experience needed to drive a heavy 18-wheeler. They could also not have adequate training to operate the truck. For example, when a driver needs to turn, they will need to start slowing down well before the turn, so they can safely change directions. If a driver takes a turn too quickly, the truck could jackknife or turn over. Additionally, if they are following too closely, they may run into the vehicle in front of them. The heavy truck needs more time to stop.
New truck drivers may also overcorrect their steering if they veer out of their lane or need to avoid something in the road. In these situations, a truck driver can lose control of the vehicle and cause a collision.
Driver fatigue is a concern with truck drivers. In a Large Truck Crash Causation Study, fatigued driving affected 13% of truck drivers in crashes. But how does this happen? Truck drivers are often expected to travel many hours each day. While there are regulations for drivers that tell them when they need to rest, sometimes that doesn’t match their schedule. They may also deal with pressure from the company they work for to push themselves to meet a demanding schedule, regardless of their safety.
Lack of sleep isn’t the only cause of drowsy driving. If the truck driver is taking medication, prescription or over-the-counter, a side effect may be drowsiness. The driver may think they can power through it, but all it does is make them an unsafe driver.
When a driver is drowsy, they’re not reactive to what’s happening on the road. They may not be alert enough to maneuver the truck in case of an emergency. A fatigued big rig driver can fall asleep at the wheel, and they may drift out of their lane and in front of another vehicle or hit a fixed object on the side of the road.
Whether the cause of your truck accident was because of an issue with the truck, the trucking company, the driver, or another reason, our Ottawa truck accident attorney will investigate and figure out what events led to the crash and caused your injuries.
Our Ottawa Firm Helps Victims
After a truck accident, it’s likely those involved will need medical treatment immediately. A collision can have terrible consequences, like traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and other significant injuries. If you needed to stay in the hospital and undergo treatment, you’ll likely have costly medical bills. Affording your medical bills can be a major source of stress, but your compensation can help you cover those costs and keep up with treatment you’ll need moving forward.
Contact our firm today to get started on your case. The sooner you get in touch with us, the sooner we can begin fighting for your rights. When you have the compensation you deserve, you can have more security in your financial future. You’ll know you’ll be able to afford your care and keep up with your everyday expenses. With these matters under the control of an experienced lawyer, you can focus your full attention on your recovery.
