Every year, motor vehicle accidents take the lives of thousands of people across the United States, and those involving tractor trailers often lead to more serious injuries. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA),23% of all accidents involving large trucks in the U.S. caused injuries, and over 4,000 people lost their lives.
If you suffered injuries or lost someone you love as the result of a semi truck collision in Montgomery County, a tractor trailer accident lawyer serving Conroe, TX can help you seek financial recovery for your damages. Contact D. Miller & Associates, PLLC™ today at (713) 850-8600 to speak with our legal team about your case.
Causes of Tractor Trailer Accidents
Between 2001 and 2003, the FMCSA conducted a study to determine the common factors leading up to tractor trailer collisions. Researchers examined data from nearly 1,000 truck accidents to find the critical event that made the accident inevitable, the critical reason that directly caused the collision, and present factors that may have contributed in some way.
The study assigned three types of critical events to large trucks:
- Traveling out of their lane and into another lane or off the road
- Loss of control of the vehicle due to cargo shift, driving too fast for conditions, poor road conditions, system failure, or other reasons
- Hitting the rear end of another vehicle in the truck’s lane
Of the critical reasons for the accidents, which include driver, vehicle, and environment, over one-third involved driver decision errors such as driving too fast for conditions or following other vehicles too closely. A tractor trailer accident lawyer serving Conroe, TX can help you determine the cause of your collision.
Dangers of Tractor Trailer Accidents
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) attributes the dangers of tractor trailers to a number of factors, particularly their size. At between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds, they weigh approximately 20 to 30 times more than a passenger vehicle, which can sometimes slide underneath a truck in an accident due to its higher ground clearance.
The size and weight of tractor trailers alone make injuries and fatalities among passenger vehicle occupants more likely. In fact, they make up 96% of all fatalities in two-vehicle accidents involving a passenger vehicle and a tractor trailer.
Establishing Liability in a Tractor Trailer Accident
As a fault state, Texas requires the party responsible for causing the truck accident to cover the victims’ damages, which may include financial recovery for:
- Emergency medical care, rehabilitation, and other injury-related medical expenses
- Lost wages for time you had to take off work due to your injuries
- Loss of future wages if you cannot return to work or lost a loved one who provided for you
- Pain and suffering for your physical and emotional trauma resulting from the accident
- Funeral and burial expenses if a loved one suffered fatal injuries
To determine liability in your accident, a lawyer can help you establish that the at-fault party’s actions meet the criteria for legal negligence and assist you in seeking financial awards for your losses.
Insurance Companies May Offer an Unfair Settlement
After an accident, insurance companies immediately investigate to determine the liable party. If their policyholder caused the collision, adjusters may attempt to use unethical tactics to assign blame to the victims or undervalue their claims in an effort to avoid paying what the victim deserves.
Sometimes, they will even offer an upfront settlement before you have had a chance to assess the cost of your injuries and losses. While this may seem convenient or even generous, victims often find that the amount falls short of providing full financial recovery.
If you suffered injuries in a tractor trailer accident, an attorney can communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf to help you seek an adequate settlement. Contact D. Miller & Associates, PLLC™ at (713) 850-8600.
Other Parties May Hold Responsibility for Your Accident
In most truck accident cases, a driver holds responsibility for the accident. However, some instances do occur in which another party plays a major role in causing a collision.
If the state or local agency failed to maintain the roads on which the accident occurred, the hazards due to deteriorated pavement, missing guardrails, or other dangerous deficiencies may have led to your accident. A lawyer can help you determine if you can file a claim against the government entity that failed to keep the road safe.
Mechanical error plays a role in the causation of some accidents, as well. The LTCCS found that of the 141,000 truck accidents involving injury that occurred during the study period, vehicle failure accounted for 1 in 10 of them. If the failure resulted from the manufacturer’s failure to ensure its safety before releasing it onto the market, you may have a case against them.
A Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer Serving Conroe, TX Can Help You With Your Case
Tractor trailer accidents often have tragic consequences for those involved, especially occupants of passenger vehicles. If you or a loved one suffered serious or fatal injuries in a truck accident in Conroe, you may qualify for financial recovery. Texas gives victims a limited amount of time to file personal injury and wrongful death claims, but the lawyers at D. Miller & Associates, PLLC™ can help you get started on your case right away. Call us today at (713) 850-8600 to speak with our legal team.