Truck Accidents Attorney in Connecticut
Contact Our Firm
If you are in a large truck accident the most important thing to do is make sure you notify the police of the accident and make sure you and anyone else involved in the accident receive proper medical attention.
If possible, try to take pictures of the crash and damage. If there are any witnesses, try to get their information if you can. As always, make sure you do not talk to any corporate representative or insurance company or sign any document before you contact your attorney to represent you.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) there are about 35,000 fatal crashes each year in the United States. Around 8% of these crashes involve big rigs and other large trucks. Deadly truck accidents have increased steadily at around 42% since 2009 when the FMCA records only around 3,500 fatalities involving big rigs and other large truck accidents.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is the body of federal law that governs truck driving safety and the rules of the road that every truck driver must follow. Connecticut CT has adopted these regulations and therefore creates the basis for the standard of care truck drivers must follow. If a truck driver violates these rules, then they will be found to be negligent if they cause injury or a fatality following a truck accident.
Common Causes for Truck Accidents
There are numerous reasons for why truck accidents occur. Most fatal truck accidents involve more than one factor, however mechanical issues, driver fatigue, violating road rules such as driving too close were major factors resulting in truck driving deaths.
Other driver-related factors and common causes of truck accidents include the following:
- Speeding
- Faulty brakes
- Faulty tires
- Driver impairment: including alcohol-related
- Distracted driving or improper use of cell phones while driving
- Driver health-related issues or illness while driving
- Unfamiliarity with the delivery route
- Employer pressure to complete deliveries on time
- Other motorists’ negligence
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue is one of leading factors contributing to truck accident deaths. In 2017 alone, driver fatigue accounted for over 60 truck driving-related deaths. Driver fatigue is often due to the long hours truck drivers have to be on the road for during work. This can cause truck drivers to have an unhealthy sleep schedule and not get the proper amount of sleep needed to operate a vehicle of its size or operate a vehicle in general. This causes the driver to possibly fall asleep at the wheel and harm themselves and others on the road potentially.
These crashes regularly occur between the hours of 12pm and 3am when most people are supposed to be asleep. To help prevent driver-fatigue related deaths the government passed a law called the Hours- of- Service Regulation, or HOS Regulations. This law regulates the amount of time a commercial truck driver is allowed to operate the vehicle based on its weight. This is broken down into categories of what the truck would be carrying. So, a truck carrying products would need to rest for a full 10 consecutive hours before driving for a maximum of 11 hours. This also means the driver would need to have 8 hours of sleep break with an additional two-hour break.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents
Tractor trailers and truck accidents are so deadly because of their size and weight making trucks out on the roads a deadly weapon. A fully loaded tractor trailer weighs around 80,000 pounds – it is therefore not surprising that large truck accidents often cause the most serious injuries.
Most common injuries in truck accidents are fractures, organ damage, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even death. These injuries are most common in 18-wheeler accidents.
How to Calculate Money Damages Following a Truck Accident
Truck accidents are so different than other Connecticut CT car accidents simply because they involve bigger accidents, cause bigger injuries, which calls for and demands bigger monetary damages.
There are many factors that going into determining the case value of a truck accident, mainly the severity of injuries, strength of liability against the truck driver and other responsible parties, cost of medical bills or need for future treatment, and insurance coverage.
A study conducted by the Department of Transportation examined the economic and societal impact of motor vehicle crashes. The study discussed the value of a statistical life (VSL), which is one way to look at a potential of wrongful death case value, which can often be in the millions. However, case value differs in every case depending on the factors listed above.
The types of monetary damages you may be entitled to for injuries sustained from a truck include the following:
- Loss of life
- Pain/suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of spousal or parental consortium
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages or loss of future earnings or earning capacity
Potential Defendants in I-95 Highway Truck Accident
Who can you sue following a truck accident that caused you injury? Truck accidents can be very complex, and unlike an ordinary vehicle to vehicle car accident, can involve multiple responsible parties that are not easily ascertainable as well as many layers and levels of insurance to compensate you for your injuries. Here is a list of potential defendants, all or some of which may be responsible parties following a Connecticut truck accident.
- Driver
- Common carrier—drivers employer in every case
- Owner of tractor
- Owner of trailer
- Shipper
- Logistics company
- Broker
Contact Sorrentino Legal (203) 518-8010 today for a free consultation and to obtain additional information about your Connecticut truck accident case.