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Statistics on recent truck accidents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report that accidents involving semi trucks kill around 4,000 people per year and injure thousands more. While this may seem like a fairly small figure when compared to the nearly 22,000 deaths and 2 million injuries in traffic accidents each year, semi truck accidents average out to about 11 per day in the United States.
When these large trucks get into an accident, their trucking companies often have a team of lawyers who will aggressively defend the company and their drivers. But if the trucker was at fault, other drivers may feel powerless if they have been injured in one of these accidents. Fortunately, there are semi truck accident attorneys who can represent passenger vehicle drivers if needed.
What should you do if you get into an accident that involved a semi truck? Here are a few things to keep in mind if this happens to you.
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1. Proving Fault: Proving who was at fault for an accident can be difficult. Conflicting evidence and eye witness testimonials can make this a problem for insurance companies and attorneys alike. One thing to keep in mind is which safety features trucks on the road have. The American Trucking Association estimates that only 10% of trucks on the road have active safety technology, which means that there isn’t much standing between you and a potentially fatal accident. The safety of a truck should absolutely be looked at to determine fault.
2. Length of Case: Unfortunately, there is no telling exactly how long it will take to fight your case. Some settlements are won fairly easily, especially if the truck driver was found to be at fault. Other cases can take much longer. Personal injury cases generally don’t head to trial, however. The majority (around 95%) are settled out of court between semi truck accident attorneys and insurance companies.
3. Settlements: Again, there is no determining exactly what settlement you will receive. You should have enough to cover medical expenses in most cases. Getting your personal injury attorney to prove whether you have experienced emotional distress or other hardships based on your accident may be trickier, depending upon what has occurred.
Have more questions about your auto accident? Be sure to speak with a semi truck accident attorney in order to ensure that you receive accurate information about these sorts of cases. You can also leave a comment below with any general questions.
