One of the most common ways to get goods from point A to point B is by tractor-trailer. In fact, approximately 70 percent of the nation’s freight – about 10.5 billion tons annually – is transported by truck. The 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States average about 125,000 miles each year. The number of truck driver positions is expected to grow by about 6 percent over the next 10 years. Although this bode well for the economy and the job market, more commercial trucks on the road mean even more truck accident deaths and injuries.
Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents can be catastrophic for victims and their families. Victims often sustain severe injuries which result in medical bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Recovery time for these injuries is long, often leaving the victim unable to work. In many cases, the injuries are so severe, the victim is left permanently disabled and is never able to return to their profession.
The financial toll these accidents take on families can be almost as devastating as the physical and emotional toll. But Virginia law allows truck accident victims to pursue damages against the parties who were responsible for the crash. Because of how complicated truck accident cases can be, it is critical to have an attorney who has extensive experience in these types of cases advocating for you.
Unhitched Trailers
Truck accidents occur for many reasons. One common factor that our truck accident attorneys see in the cases we handle involves the trailer of the truck unhitching as the truck is traveling. This can happen for several reasons. The truck driver and other employees never did equipment safety checks to ensure that there were no issues. In these situations, the trucking company and possibly the cargo company could be held liable for any damages caused by the accident.
Another reason the trailer could become unhitched is due to some type of equipment malfunction. This could lead to the manufacturer’s liability if there is some kind of design or manufacturing defect to the part.
Whatever the cause, one can only imagine the devastation an unsecured trailer can cause on a crowded highway, with vehicles traveling at speeds of 55 mph or more. The impact of a loaded, runaway trailer smashing into many passenger vehicles would be catastrophic and would likely end up in multiple fatalities.
Contact a Virginia Personal Injury Attorney
Any family who is struggling with the aftermath of a loved one’s injury or death in a truck accident should contact a truck accident attorney to find out what legal options they may have. These types of cases are more complex than other kinds of vehicle accidents because there is often more than one liable party who is responsible for damages the victim or their family deserves. There are also federal and state regulations the trucking industry must follow which may affect the case, especially if there was intentional disobeying of those rules on the part of the party or parties involved.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, contact a Virginia truck accident attorney to discuss what legal recourse you may have against the responsible party or parties. The legal team from Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp has successfully advocated for many truck accident victims and their families, including a $2.4 million wrongful death settlement for one family whose loved one died in a rear-end collision caused by a tractor-trailer operator.
Our attorneys are available to meet and discuss the details of your case and how we may be able to help. Call our office today to set up a free and confidential case evaluation.
For more information about truck accidents in Virginia, please download our free guide.
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