It’s a simple fact of life that when a big rig collides with another passenger vehicle, the passenger vehicle and the occupants do not fare well.
Most big rig accidents result in either serious injuries or death. There is no other outcome when something that large runs into another vehicle or a stationary object. “Even if the trucker is involved in a single vehicle rollover or jackknife scenario, the outcome is questionable for the driver,” said Robert W. Lee of the Lee Law Firm in Austin, Texas.
It should come as no surprise that there are a high number of fatal accidents involving rigs when the statistics are analyzed. For example in 2007 alone there were over 14,000,000 on the highways and byways in the US. The number of fatal crashes in 2007 across the nation rang in at roughly 4,370. Over all there were 136,440 non-fatal crashes and approximately 55,000 crashes resulting in injuries.
More often than not the first point of impact of the big rig was the front, followed by the rear, the left side and then the right side. “These impact locations are largely related to what was going on at the time the accident happened. If it’s the result of a jackknife, the impact point would be different than if the rig drifted across the dividing line and was stuck by an oncoming vehicle,” indicated Lee.
Interestingly enough, while many people would tend to think that most semi crashes happen on major highways, they actually take place more often than not in rural areas during the week and during daylight hours. Along with this observation goes the companion fact that these behemoth trucks are highly likely to be involved in fatal multi-vehicle smashups.
“There tends to be a number of causes for large truck accidents, and not all of them are necessarily related to the truck or the driver. For instance, a passenger vehicle that cuts in too close or tailgates can cause a serious accident as well,” added Lee. On the part of the trucker some of the causes for accidents include speeding, aggressive driving, driving in an unsafe manner for the existing road conditions, and drug use.
Truck collisions are catastrophic and huge medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of earning capacity are some of the potential consequences. “If the truck owner and/or driver is deemed to be at fault for the accident, a lawsuit might be commenced against the driver and/or a whole host of other parties,” explained Robert W. Lee of the Lee Law Firm in Austin, Texas.
If a loved one has been lost due to a truck accident, contact an experienced accident attorney for legal advice on filing a wrongful death suit.
To learn more, visit Rwleelaw.com.
