Charleston Truck Accident Attorney
Representation in Truck Accident Injury Cases
Have you been injured in a truck accident? Unfortunately, trucking accidents occur all across the nation involving 18 wheelers, semis, tankers, refrigerator trucks, dump trucks, and more. These heavy commercial trucks are often difficult to maneuver and even more difficult to stop.
When colliding with smaller vehicles, they can cause enormous property damage, bodily injury, and multi-vehicle pileups. Our seasoned Charleston truck accident attorney at Rod Smith Law PLLC has a strong track record in personal injury cases, with over $100 million in verdicts and settlements.
Let our Charleston truck accident lawyer focus on fighting for justice while you recover. Call us at (304) 406-7076.
What Should You Do After a Truck Accident?
Most of the time, the parties involved resolve the at-fault driver and negotiate with that driver's insurance company to settle. However, they can sue someone personally after a truck accident if they do not receive acceptable compensation from insurance.
Truck Accident Liability in West Virginia
Trucking accidents can be complex and require early action to preserve evidence before it can be lost, hidden, or compromised.
If you were injured due to negligence on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, truck manufacturer, or other entity, you can file a personal injury claim to recover damages. These entities may be liable due to various reasons.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in West Virginia
Common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driver error
- Poor truck maintenance
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Defective or dangerous equipment or components
- Poor driver training
- Fatigue
Truck accidents are unique for the severity of the damage they can inflict on bodies and property. These accidents are more likely to cause death than other accidents as well as catastrophic injuries, such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, and organ damage.
Trucking Regulation
Because large trucks can cause such catastrophic damage to other motorists in the event of an accident, truck drivers are required to follow more laws than other motor vehicles both on and even off the road. One of these such rules is called the hours of service regulation. The main purposes of this rule is to prevent fatigued driving, thus the laws are aimed at ensuring that truck drivers are not overworked and get an adequate amount of sleep and rest each day. According to this law:
- Truck drivers can work a maximum of14 hours in a day. Of these 14 hours truckers can only drive for 11 hours, with the remaining time spent on rest or meal breaks
- Truck drivers must rest for at least 10 consecutive hours before beginning a new workday
- Truck drivers are required to take days off work at regular intervals
Unfortunately, whether due to truck driver negligence or pressure from the trucking companies truckers work for these rules are not always followed which can lead to accidents. If you have been injured, contact our firm for help today.
