Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer
Individuals who are involved in collisions with commercial vehicles such as tractor trailers and other large freight haulers routinely suffer life-changing harm and sometimes even death.
As stated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the immutable disparities in weight and height between over-the-road trucks and typical passenger vehicles are often just too significant to overcome in the event of a collision, a fact which can produce devastating injuries to motorists across Pennsylvania.
When the negligent acts or omissions of truck drivers, vehicle manufacturers, trucking company owners, and other parties result in substantial losses, it is important for victims to fight for accountability and justice.
Medical expenses, lost wages, and other types of resulting financial strain can lead entire families to the brink of collapse, and a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer is ready and willing to aggressively defend the rights of those individuals to seek fair financial compensation.
Important Facts About Truck Accidents
Statistics from the IIHS have further revealed that the lion’s share of fatalities stemming from large truck accidents is borne by individuals occupying passenger cars. 2014 alone saw more than 3,600 individuals lose their lives in truck accidents, though only 16 percent of those deaths were suffered by occupants of trucks. 67 percent were suffered by passenger vehicle occupants, and the remainder by motorcyclists, pedestrians, or bicyclists.
Considering the massive amount of commercial freight that makes its way across America’s roadways each year, it is no surprise that trucking-related injuries and deaths pose a real threat to all motorists, including those within Pennsylvania.
Typical Truck Accident Causes and Scenarios
Though it is certainly true that truck drivers in the United States are subjected to strict licensing requirements and operational regulations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that nearly a third of all truck accidents can be traced back to issues related to driver error. Impaired driving, distracted driving, judgment errors, inattention, and fatigue are among the most common factors leading up to potentially deadly collisions.
Poor road conditions, improperly loaded cargo, weather events, equipment failures, and shoddy truck maintenance are other circumstances which can and do regularly result in tragedy.
Establishing Truck Accident Liability
Given the wide range of scenarios known to cause truck-related accidents, it is important for a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the facts of each case. Victims need to know that significant compensation may be available following a serious accident from a greater number of parties than they may initially believe.
A motor carrier driver can, of course, be held liable for negligent acts or omissions committed while on the road, and their insurance providers are routinely responsible for paying sizable claims to those who have been harmed as a result. It should also be noted that other potential defendants in a truck accident case may include:
- Truck manufacturers
- Parts suppliers
- Motor carrier company owners
- Truck maintenance personnel
- Freight loading contractors
A Pennsylvania truck accident attorney will leave no stone unturned when it comes to determining parties to which liability can properly attach. Even entities which appear relatively far-removed from the crash itself can be responsible for providing monetary compensation if their negligence directly contributed to the losses sustained.
Key Reasons to Hire a Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer
Accidents involving heavy trucks have the ability to produce a frighteningly broad array of injuries. Other motorists, construction workers, cyclists, pedestrians, and even bystanders are at risk of sustaining life-altering injuries that could include broken bones, deep lacerations, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, disfigurement, and death.
The massive scope of these losses makes it more important than ever that the victims of such incidents aggressively pursue their right to receive compensation that can include:
- Past, present, and future medical costs
- Lost wages and reductions in future earning capacity
- Expenses related to physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Payment for pain and suffering
- Payment for emotional trauma
- Cost of necessary home accessibility modification
- Funeral expenses
- Financial support for surviving dependents
Advocacy for Pennsylvania Truck Accident Victims
Though the legal system does provide victims of truck accidents with the right to seek significant compensation, the process is often fraught with real challenges.
A dedicated Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer will take all necessary steps to gather crucial evidence, enlist the aid of medical experts as well as accident reconstruction technicians, and build effective arguments on their clients’ behalf. To discover how an injury attorney can boost your chances of success following a devastating truck accident, contact our firm today.
