If a large truck caused your accident injury, whether it was a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle, our Anderson injury lawyers at AutoAccident.com are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Oversized vehicles are dangerous to other motorists sharing the roadway because of their larger size and weight. Because they deliver around 70 percent of the goods around the nation, including food products, they are a common sight along California highways.

When a big truck causes a collision that results in injuries, it is essential to enlist the help of an experienced Anderson truck accident lawyer because these types of collisions are complicated and can involve both the truck driver and the company that employs them.

If you were injured in an accident caused by a commercial truck, call our injury attorneys at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for a free consultation.

Driver negligence is often the cause of a truck accident. However, some truckers are independent operators, while others are employed by a trucking company. Seeking damages is also complicated by possible violations of state and federal regulations by the driver or company. This is one of the many reasons professional help is necessary to deal with the insurance company, conduct an investigation and gather the evidence needed to support a client’s claim through either a settlement or winning a favorable verdict in court that awards damages.

The safety of a big truck on the roadways depends on the driver, the condition of the vehicle, and the company. If there are problems in any of those areas, it can lead to a collision. However, these areas of investigation require the help of a seasoned Anderson truck accident attorney. Below are some of the most common reasons for accidents involving big trucks.

• Inexperienced Drivers Can Cause Truck Accidents – Big rigs have multiple brakes and require careful handling. Other large commercial trucks, such as dump trucks, can be tricky to drive and overturn easily when turning a corner too fast. This is why experience is essential. In an emergency situation in a tractor-trailer, applying the wrong brake can result in a rollover or jackknife accident involving other vehicles nearby.
• Fatigue Driving – Fatigue is a severe problem for truck drivers. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, around 13 percent of all accidents caused by drivers of commercial trucks involved fatigue as one of the factors. Long hours spent driving can lead to fatigue and boredom, a recipe for an accident. Sometimes, the driver tries to make delivery quicker by picking up another load. After all, truck drivers of big rigs are paid by the mile. In other cases, the company that employs the driver may insist on making deliveries faster than what is safe, encouraging the trucker to speed or take a shortcut to get to the location more quickly.
• Overloaded or Poorly Loaded Trailers – Problems with the load can lead to an accident. Trucks that are overloaded or packed unevenly can end up causing a rollover if the vehicle makes a turn too fast because the weight can shift. If the car pulls a flatbed trailer, it can lose its load, causing severe injuries to those in other vehicles.
• Speeding and Reckless Driving – Speeding is a significant cause of truck accidents. A semi truck’s stopping distance is significantly increased by speeding. The vehicle is harder to control, and truck tires are not designed for higher speeds. If you or a loved one are injured by a big speeding truck, an Anderson truck accident attorney can help you get compensation.
• Lack of Maintenance – Neglected maintenance on a truck can cause an accident. Drivers are mandated to inspect the vehicle each time before heading out. This includes looking over the brakes, tires, load, engine, connectors, and many other areas. The problem is that pulling a vehicle out of service for repairs or new tires or brakes means the driver will make no money, and it will also cost the company, even though it presents a danger on the road. Brake failure is the primary cause of neglected maintenance on a big commercial vehicle.

Investigating a truck accident is similar in some ways to a standard traffic collision but different and more complex in others. This is one of the reasons you need a truck accident lawyer in Anderson to prove your claim. Our investigators perform the following checks:

• The investigators examine the report filed by the police for errors and talk to witnesses at the accident site.
• They look for cameras that may have filmed the accident as it happened, such as those installed for traffic surveillance and at nearby businesses.
• They check the truck for lack of maintenance, such as faulty brakes, worn tires, and other signs.
• The investigators examine records by the trucking company of maintenance performed on the vehicle and signs of previous infractions and falsification of records.
• They examine the trucker’s driving record for infractions, fines, and other signs of negligence.
• The electronic data recorder or logbook is examined to check for signs it was falsified.
• The investigators perform accident reconstruction to determine the positioning of the vehicles before and during the collision. 

The following video discusses when to contact a lawyer following a truck accident injury:

Once all the evidence has been gathered, our lawyers work hard to build a case in your favor, compile a list of damages, and estimate how much you can expect to receive. It is used when we negotiate for you with the insurance company. In some cases, this is successful. However, there is another option if the insurance company balks at reaching a fair settlement or refuses to pay. In that case, our lawyers can take the case to court and present the evidence there. It has been proven that those who use an attorney to obtain justice for their accident injuries receive twice as much as those who do it alone. 

Related articles by Anderson truck accident lawyer Ed Smith:

• Big Rigs and Blind Spots
• Underride and Override Accidents

If you were injured in an accident caused by a big truck, call our Anderson truck accident attorneys at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.Visit our Settlements and Verdicts page to see how we have helped our clients since 1982.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 6.15.23] Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels cd llo [cs 1099]}