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(281) 587-1111
(281) 587-1111
(281) 587-1111
December 8, 2024 by Greg Baumgartner
If you have been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. Getting into a collision with a large truck can be a scary and traumatic experience. Fatigue is often a factor in truck accidents and is a leading cause of how tired 18-wheeler drivers cause accidents.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, around 13 percent of commercial vehicle drivers who crashed were fatigued during the accident. Truck drivers are more likely to feel fatigued at night, but fatigue-related accidents can also occur at any time of the day.
There are several reasons truck drivers may be more prone to driving while tired than drivers of other vehicles. One reason is that they often work long hours. They not only drive for many hours each day but also for many consecutive hours in a row. Driving for so long can quickly get monotonous and tiring.
Truck drivers often wake up early in the morning to drive or stay up late at night so that the supplies they are carrying can get to their destinations in time.
Truck drivers are important for getting food, medical supplies, mail, and other commercial items to destinations such as supermarkets and warehouses. Their employers often pressure them to keep up with the demand. Not only can this cause truck drivers to drive faster than they should, but it also often causes them to skip breaks and rest stops to save time. They may skip meals or use coffee and energy drinks to stay alert. This creates a dangerous mix of fatigue, hunger, and irritability that can lead to fatal accidents.
Several regulations are in place to prevent fatigue-related truck accidents from occurring. However, they are not perfect. These regulations are in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Interstate Truck Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service.
Truck drivers may not drive for over 11 hours in a 14-hour window. Even if they take rest stops during this 14-hour window, they must stop driving once 14 hours have passed.
Rest stops are required. Drivers must not drive over eight consecutive hours without taking a 30-minute break. However, some truck drivers are exempt from this 30-minute break requirement, such as those that operate within 100 air miles of their normal work reporting location and are released from work within 12 hours, according to the FMCSA.
Also, truck drivers must not drive over 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days.
Although these regulations exist, you can see that they don’t prevent truck drivers from getting fatigued while driving. Eight hours of driving is a lot. Besides, there have been instances of truck drivers falsifying their record logs. This might be done to keep up with the pressure placed on them to deliver goods on time or, sometimes, discreetly encouraged by an employer.
One reason getting into an accident with a large truck is so dangerous is the heavier weight and size advantage that trucks have. According to an IIHS report, occupants of smaller vehicles made up 96 percent of fatalities in two-vehicle accidents involving passenger vehicles and large trucks. Truck drivers made up only four percent of fatalities. Also, 11 percent of all motor accident deaths occurred in large truck crashes.
If you were the victim of a truck collision, we can help you get the compensation you deserve for the injuries you suffered. Several injuries are common in truck accidents, ranging from minor to severe. For motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, more severe injuries are common.
You might suffer whiplash, which is a neck injury caused when your neck and head are forced forward due to an impact. If you are thrown against your windshield or are ejected from your car, you may experience a traumatic brain injury, which can lead to headaches, nausea, and memory problems. You may experience chest injury and pain even if your airbag is activated.
You may have broken ribs and bones. Back and spine injuries and burn injuries can also occur. Road rash is very common, especially if you are on a motorcycle or bicycle. Road rash, especially on the palms of your hands, can cause much pain.
Besides physical injuries, there are often psychological injuries such as trauma and lost wages due to an inability to work.
In Texas, compensation can include medical costs, lost earning capabilities, mental anguish, and even punitive damages.
If you were involved in an accident with a large truck, don’t delay calling an experienced personal injury attorney. Evidence must be taken, including photographs of the crash scene and physical injuries. Truck companies often send a legal response team to help their drivers evade responsibility. They might reconstruct the accident and attempt to shift the blame on you. Insurance companies may try to avoid giving you the compensation you deserve, and investigating officers may not thoroughly investigate.
Call the truck accident attorney at Baumgartner Law Firm, and we will send our legal team to help you. We will investigate the circumstances of the accident, including compliance with driving regulations, truck maintenance records, and even the truck’s black box. Try to take photos of the evidence immediately and call us before you make any statement to your insurance company.
Getting an attorney specializing in personal injuries resulting from truck accidents is essential. We have a reputation as a leading truck lawyer in America, and the results prove it. Call us at (281) 587-1111 for a free consultation with a top-rated truck accident attorney.
Baumgartner Law Firm
6711 Cypress Creek Pkwy
Houston, TX, 77069
(281) 587-1111
Since founding the Baumgartner Law Firm in 1985, Greg Baumgartner has established himself as a leading personal injury attorney in Houston, Texas, with a focus on representing severely injured accident victims and families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. His commitment to excellence in legal advocacy has earned him recognition from prestigious organizations, including Super Lawyers and the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and others. With decades of experience, Greg is consistently peer-reviewed and holds a preeminent rating, reflecting his dedication to achieving justice for his clients.
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