At Shapiro, Appleton & Washburn, all we do is injury law. This means that the Virginia personal injury attorney who handles your case has extensive experience and legal knowledge of Virginia injury law. Our firm also only represents victims of accidents, working aggressively to make sure they get the financial compensation they deserve based on the circumstances of the case.
One of the most complex types of accident cases we handle is trucking accidents. This is because it is not uncommon for there to be more than one party who is liable for the victim’s losses. When a truck accident victim comes to our firm for help, the first thing we do is determine who and how many parties are liable. In order to make this determination, the cause of the truck accident must be established. The following are some of the most common causes of truck accidents in the cases we handle:
- Bad weather or poor road conditions: If roads are slippery and/or weather hampers visibility, this can be a disaster for a commercial truck driver. If the state or municipalities do not properly maintain roads that have ice and snow buildup, this can result in the truck driver losing control of the truck. A truck driver can also lose control of a truck in good weather if the roads are in poor condition, as well.
- Failure to regularly inspect and/or repair mechanical issues: The federal government requires trucking companies to conduct regular inspections on all vehicles and to repair any issues immediately. If a trucking company fails to maintain their vehicles, those issues can result in truck crashes. Some of the most common include brake issues, bad tires, broken lights, and worn load straps.
- Inexperienced or inadequately trained truck driver: Driving a tractor-trailer or other commercial truck requires special training and skills. Handling one of these massive vehicles is difficult enough, but when you add a full load of cargo, there are many challenges on the road a truck driver can face. If a truck driver had not had the proper training or is too inexperienced, he or she may not be able to handle those challenges, resulting in a serious truck accident.
- Negligent driving: Many truck accidents are the result of negligent behavior or actions of the truck driver. Some of the most frequent we see in the truck accidents we handle are distracted driving, fatigued driving, driving under the influence, speeding, tailgating, and ignoring traffic laws.
- Overloaded truck: The federal government has strict weight limits on how much a truck can transport. Unfortunately, there are trucking companies that ignore those rules and exceed those maximum weight limitations. This extra weight can cause tire blowouts, causing the truck to spin out of control. The extra weight can also cause the truck to overturn, especially on highway exits that have sharp curves.
Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney
If you have been injured in any type of truck accident, contact Shapiro, Appleton & Washburn to discuss what legal recourse you may have. Truck accident cases can be complex, and it is not uncommon for there to be multiple at-fault parties who are responsible for the payment of financial damages you may be entitled to for your injuries. Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our dedicated Virginia truck accident attorneys. Our personal injury firm has successfully represented many injured victims and their families and we are happy to meet with you and offer legal guidance on what the best options may be for your circumstances.
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