Ohio Truck Accident Law Firm

How Are Big Truck Accidents Different Than Car Accidents?

Big truck accidents can be a lot more complicated than your average motor vehicle accident in Cleveland. This is because there are often many liable parties, complex evidence, and serious injuries to be accounted for. If the commercial vehicle driver works for a larger company, the company may be the one liable for damages. Depending on the details of the accident, a Cleveland truck accident attorney at Joseph Law Group can pursue damages against all responsible parties.

Large trucks and tractor-trailers are significantly bigger than other vehicles on the road. This usually results in more fatalities and catastrophic injuries than a more typical Ohio car accident. As such, truck drivers must abide by federal regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The mission of the FMCSA is to reduce injuries, crashes, and fatalities that often result from trucking accidents.

It’s not uncommon for trucking companies to destroy evidence that proves their truck drivers have violated some of these rules. Trucking companies can destroy some evidence after six months, but some electronic records can be deleted after only two weeks. This is an extremely short timeline and is one of the many reasons why it is so important to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after a trucking accident occurs.

A qualified Ohio truck accident attorney from Joseph Law Group will use their extensive knowledge of Ohio law to gather the evidence needed after an accident. There may be a lot of paperwork that cannot be easily understood by a regular motorist, especially while they are trying to heal from an injury. While you rest and heal, the large truck accident lawyers at Joseph Law Group can handle all the necessary paperwork and pursue your claim on your behalf.

Common Causes of Big Truck Wrecks

Commercial vehicle accidents can happen the same way car accidents do. Driver impairment, speeding, following too closely, and inexperienced drivers can be the cause of any type of accident. But because commercial vehicles are so large, these truck accidents can also be caused by factors unique to them, including: 

• Driver fatigue – According to a national survey of long-haul truckers, almost a quarter of truck drivers reported driving through fatigue.
• Demanding Schedule – In the trucking industry, truck drivers have to meet strict deadlines, so it’s commonplace for trucking companies to overlook instances where their drivers may have driven too long without a break.
• Bad Weather – Inclement weather conditions can cause problems for anyone on the road, but with the size and weight of a tractor-trailer, the risk of an auto accident occurring significantly increases.
• Overloaded or Poorly Loaded Trucks – By law, tractor-trailers are only able to carry up to 80,000 pounds. When drivers or trucking companies exceed this weight or pack the contents without care, this can cause the driver to lose control of the truck.
• Poor Maintenance – Regular maintenance can often be overlooked on big trucks, especially when a maintenance service would keep them off the road.
• Inexperienced Drivers – Poorly trained or inexperienced drivers may not have the knowledge required to know what issues to look out for or how to operate a vehicle under certain conditions.

If you or a loved one was involved in a commercial vehicle accident, contact a personal injury lawyer from Joseph Law Group immediately. Our law firm can wade through the paperwork and red tape needed to determine liability for your truck accident case so you can focus all your energy on recovery