Few would argue that driving a semi-truck across the country is not a physically and emotionally taxing job. However, commercial truck drivers still have an ethical responsibility and a legal obligation to drive safely. Car accidents involving large commercial trucks often lead to catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

One of the most concerning issues involving commercial truck accidents is the prevalence of drug and alcohol use use behind the wheel. If you or a loved one were involved in a commercial truck accident and you suspect that the truck driver may have been intoxicated, consult with a truck accident injury lawyer right away. You may be entitled to restitution.

Studies Suggest Truck Drivers May Use Drugs and Alcohol to Cope with Work Stress

One of the hardest parts about being a commercial truck driver is the unusual work schedule. Drivers often drive for long hours and must find time to sleep whenever they can. Their work schedules may change significantly from week to week, making it difficult to maintain a regular sleep-wake rhythm. Unfortunately, some drivers cope with this issue by using drugs or alcohol.

The forces placed on a human body in a severe truck collision often cause catastrophic injuries. Injuries to vital organs can be especially dangerous and are often deadly. Extensive, long-term medical care is usually needed in order for people with vital organ injuries to survive. Those who do survive their injuries may suffer from medical complications and reduced function for the rest of their lives.

If you or a loved one suffered an injury to a vital organ or another catastrophic injury in a commercial truck crash, speak to a truck accident injury attorney to discuss your legal options. You may be able to recover financial compensation.

Injuries to Organs Can Result in Disability or Death

Commercial truck crashes may be caused by driver error, issues with the truck, or almost countless other factors. In an instant, a large truck crash can change the course of a person’s life. Internal organ injuries usually require surgery and substantial follow-up care. Vital organs are those organs that are essential to life. They include:

The National Safety Council reports that nearly 5,000 large trucks were involved in fatal auto accidents in 2020. Approximately 147,000 people were injured in truck accidents in the same year. Commercial trucks are much larger than the average vehicle on public roads and consequently, the damage caused in a commercial truck crash is often catastrophic. Personal injury lawsuits for commercial truck accidents often lead to six and seven-figure payouts. Frequently, information from the truck’s event data recorder is a key piece of evidence in a large commercial truck accident investigation.

What Does an Event Data Recorder Do?

Event data recorders (EDRs) sometimes called “black boxes” or electronic control modules may be installed in commercial vehicles or privately owned vehicles. The device records technical vehicle information before, during, and after a collision. This information can be used to understand the events that led to a crash and what happened during the collision.

Event data recorders often record information about:

Large commercial trucks can cause devastating accidents. If you or a loved one were seriously hurt in a truck accident, you may be interested in seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Through an injury claim, you may be able to get compensation for the damages that you suffered including medical bills and lost income. To bring the strongest claim possible, it is crucial to work with a personal injury attorney who has experience successfully handling truck accident cases.  

Collecting Information and Preserving Evidence

When someone contacts a personal injury attorney about a possible truck accident claim, the first thing the attorney will need to do is collect information about the accident. Your lawyer will want to know the circumstances of the collision, what types of injuries you suffered, and what medical treatments you have sought for those injuries. Your attorney may also utilize evidence such as the truck’s event data recorder (EDR), traffic camera footage, the truck driver’s electronic logbook, and forensic evidence from the crash scene. In many cases, a personal injury attorney sends a “preservation letter” or spoliation letter to the trucking company which prohibits the company from destroying evidence.

Identifying the Liable Parties

Truck accident cases are often complicated. It is not always clear who is legally at fault for a truck crash. In some cases, the truck driver himself or herself is responsible for causing the accident. Distracted driving, drowsy driving, and driver intoxication are all common causes of truck collisions. In other cases, the trucking company’s failure to properly maintain the truck or correctly load truck cargo is the cause of the accident. It is also possible that defects in the truck’s brakes, tires, or cargo securement devices are a key contributor to the crash. By pinpointing the cause of the crash, your lawyer can build a more compelling claim for damages and ensure that the claim is brought against the correct party or parties.

The loss of a loved one is always a tragic affair. The loss of a loved one in an avoidable truck accident is devastating. If your loved one died in a collision caused by a negligent truck driver, you may be seeking justice. You may also be dealing with the financial burden caused by your sudden and unexpected loss. A wrongful death lawsuit may help you recover monetary compensation for your losses while simultaneously holding the at-fault parties accountable for the tragic outcome. Read on to learn about bringing an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit after losing a family member in a fatal truck crash.

Truck Collisions Caused by Negligence

Illinois law states that a wrongful death occurs when a death is caused by wrongful or negligent actions and, had the victim survived his or her injuries, he or she would have had the right to bring a legal action for damages. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would have acted in a similar situation. For example, a truck driver may act negligently by continuing to drive even though he or she is much too sleepy to drive safely. A trucking company may act negligently by allowing truck drivers to violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) rules regarding rest breaks and consecutive driving hours. Other examples of truck driver or trucking company negligence may include:

• Failing to ensure that truck freight is loaded and secured properly

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