Common Truck Accidents in Ohio
While all drivers must drive safely, truck drivers have an even greater duty to drive well. Truck drivers are regulated by the federal government because truck accidents often cause serious injuries. More often than not, a truck accident is the direct result of a truck driver or trucking company failing to follow federal regulations.
At the law firm of Novak, Robenalt & Pavlik, L.L.P., our personal injury attorneys have represented Ohio accident victims for more than 75 years. Over that time, we have seen countless truck accident cases in which a poor decision by a fatigued semi truck driver caused a serious injury.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, let our lawyers take some of the burden off of your shoulders. We will pursue your case efficiently, aggressively and thoroughly.
Poor Choices — Serious Injuries
Truck accidents often occur when truck drivers:
- Do not receive adequate training in proper driving techniques
- Speed because of scheduling and compensation pressures
- Carry loads that are too heavy or not properly secured
- Ignore hazardous road conditions
- Brake unsafely, leading to a jackknife accident
- Do not inspect or maintain their trucks
- Do not safely change lanes
- Make wide right turns
Truck Driver Fatigue
One of the most common causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue. Under federal trucking regulations, there are very detailed rules for the amount of time a commercial truck driver may drive without sleeping. For example, a truck driver may drive 11 consecutive hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Unfortunately, many truck drivers do not follow these rules and trucking companies may not enforce them. Common compensation systems encourage driving many more hours than the regulations allow, such as policies that pay a driver for each load they deliver.
Driving Safely Around Trucks
An accident victim's actions may contribute to the cause of a truck accident. For example, if you are in a truck driver's blind spot, you increase the likelihood of a merging accident. Tractor trailers/18 wheelers are unable to stop abruptly, which means abruptly changing lanes, merging at a slower speed than a truck or turning in front of a truck are dangerous actions.
We will determine to what extent your truck accident was caused by each driver's actions. We know how to overcome challenging cases, and we will build the evidence to work in your favor. If your case involves a fatal truck accident, we will bring a wrongful death action on behalf of the deceased's family.
You can be confident in our experience.
Free Consultations - No Fee Unless We Win Your Case
E-mail us or call us at 866-400-6637 today.
