Semi truck in a parking lot

Truck Wreck Cases

Each year, thousands of motorists are killed or seriously injured because of the negligence of truck drivers, especially drivers of tractor-trailers.

Although the federal government has strict safety requirements for commercial truck drivers, many companies break these rules and regulations to increase trucking profits.

Commonly, truck drivers – at the request of their employers – exceed the federal rules limiting the number of hours a truck driver can stay on the road. Frequently, driving too many hours causes truck drivers to become tired and go to sleep at the wheel.

If you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is extremely important that you contact an attorney immediately. Because the federal regulations require a trucking company to keep log books for a short time, it is important to get an attorney involved as soon as possible so that this vital evidence is not lost.

What happens if you wreck your truck?

Car wrecks often end with damaged vehicles and injured drivers and passengers. In any such cases, be prepared to deal with the other parties’ insurance companies—and possibly their lawyers.

No matter who was at fault, you don’t want to deal with these people alone. You need a lawyer on your side who can make sure you’re acting in your own best interests.

What do you do if you’re in a trucking wreck?
After any wreck, your first priority is the safety of everyone involved. Immediately call 911 and alert them of any injuries or potential hazards (e.g., leaking gasoline or downed power lines).

Read more about the Dos and Don’ts after getting into a car wreck in our blog.

How much money do you get from a truck wreck?
It’s hard to put a dollar amount on potential damages awarded in a car wreck case. It depends entirely on the situation and severity of the injuries. There are 3 types of damages:

• Economic damages: awarded as a direct result of financial loss, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and more.
• Non-economic damages: includes non-financial hardships like mental distress, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship, reputation or enjoyment of life.
• Punitive damages: includes penalties or fines awarded to the defendant on top of the above damages. These are reserved for particularly egregious or reckless offenses.

Again, any damages awarded are entirely dependent on several different factors. At Lloyd & Lloyd, we take great care to walk you through the process and fight for what’s rightfully yours. If you have questions about whether you even have a valid lawsuit, we offer free consultations as well.

What do you do if you get in a wreck with a semi truck?
As with all wrecks, first, make sure everyone’s safe and immediately call 911. A wreck with a semi is much more likely to result in serious injury or at least a totaled vehicle.

When you exchange information with the truck driver, make sure you get their name, the name of their superior, and the contact information for the appropriate party or department that deals with traffic incidents.

What is failure to maintain lane?

Failure to maintain lane is when a driver swerves in and out of lanes, drifts between lanes, or recklessly changes lanes without properly signalling. If any of these behaviors lead to a wreck, the driver can get a charged with failure to maintain lane on top of any other traffic offenses.

Who is at fault in a lane-change wreck?

In almost all cases, the party who changes lanes or fails to stay within their lane is responsible for any wrecks caused. The party who’s traveling straight in their own lane has right of way in that lane.

Read more about lane-change wrecks in Oklahoma in our blog post.

Who is at fault in a left-turn wreck?

Again, in almost all cases, the party who turns left across oncoming traffic is at fault for any wrecks caused. The only exception would be if the oncoming traffic were running a red light or stop sign while the left-turning party had right of way.

Learn more about left-turn wrecks in Oklahoma in our blog post.

GET THE EXPERIENCE YOU NEED FOR YOUR CASE

If you have been injured due to the fault of others, contact Lloyd & Lloyd. Our record of success in the courtroom and in the courts of appeal, combined with our commitment to giving personal service, enable us to provide exceptional legal representation. You can fill out an online case review form by clicking here, or by calling us at 918.417.6580.

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