Have You Been Hurt in a Burbank Semi-Truck Accident?
A large commercial semi-truck, such as a tractor-trailer manufactured by Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack, or Peterbilt, may be 20 times the size of a standard passenger vehicle when pulling a trailer. Given the extreme disparity between the weight and mass of commercial semi-trucks and standard passenger cars, it is not tough to imagine how risky it is for the passengers of a normal vehicle when they get in a collision with a big rig-- not to mention the effects on pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists.
Commercial Driver and Semi-Truck Regulations
Large semi-truck accident cases are quite a bit different from other automobile accident cases. Particularly, commercial vehicles and drivers are regulated more rigorously than regular automobiles and drivers.
Due to the inherent threat that these big vehicles pose to other drivers, there are multiple laws and regulations at both the federal and state level to ensure that semi-truck drivers are safe.
These laws include:
California commercial semi-truck regulations include:
There are additional regulations regarding the transport of hazardous materials. All of these policies and regulations are constantly being updated and revised to reflect the discovery of new risks and the development of new safety equipment.
Reasons For Burbank Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-semi-truck crashes are serious business. Due to the size difference between a commercial semi-truck and a passenger vehicle, it is important that semi-truck drivers are safe. However, just like any other car crash reason, there are some things that tend to increase the chances of a semi-semi-truck collision.
Common reasons for semi-truck accidents involve:
Prevalent Injuries from a Burbank Semi-Truck Accident
Semi-semi-truck accidents tend to cause more severe injuries than a crash involving two regular-sized cars. This is because the force behind a semi-semi-truck is much greater. Semi-semi-truck accidents have been known to result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back and neck injuries, fractures, lacerations and scars, internal injuries, and much more.
Sometimes people walk away from semi-truck accidents unscathed or with only minor injuries. However, others will suffer major injuries and may have pain, suffering, and disability. They commonly have massive medical costs also.
What Compensation Can I Receive from a Semi-Truck Accident?
After a semi-truck accident, you're probably going to have medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering. You may be worried regarding how you're going to handle these challenges. This is where a knowledgeable semi-truck accident lawyer can help. They can handle your injury claim carefully, and ensure you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
If a semi-truck accident results in injuries, you may be qualified to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to losses with a monetary value associated with them. This consists of:
Non-economic damages refer to losses that do not have an exact monetary value associated with them. They are subjective and negotiable. These kinds of damages include:
The amount one can recover for non-economic damages varies. It depends on the extent of the injury (or injuries) and how much your life has changed because of the crash. The amount is negotiated by your lawyer and the insurance provider, or a judge and jury in court. Your lawyer will use his or her prior experience, and past settlements and jury verdicts when making settlement demands.
If You Have Been Hurt in a Semi-Truck Accident, the Burbank Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer at Tim D. Wright Can Help
At Tim D. Wright, we believe commercial drivers and semi-trucking companies should be held accountable when they are responsible for causing accidents and injuries. The unfortunate reality is that some semi-trucking companies and drivers fail to follow the rules and regulations that are there to keep the roadways safe.
When drivers and companies are under economic pressure to meet deadlines or to complete contracts, they can make poor choices that impact the safety of others, such as foregoing inspections, overloading trailers, operating without required safety equipment, or committing similar infractions. And more often than not, the result of these bad decisions is a crash.
An expert semi-truck accident attorney in the Burbank area knows all of the special factors that might be relevant in semi-truck accident cases. At Tim D. Wright, we are familiar with both California and federal commercial motor carrier regulations concerning vehicles and drivers, and we are thorough in investigating the possible causes and concerns that might affect issues of liability for commercial semi-trucks.
Even if the semi-trucking company involved is based out of state, or the case might involve independent drivers, leased vehicles, maintenance contracts, etc, at Tim D. Wright, we have the resources and experience to get results. The unfortunate fact is that large semi-truck accidents often involve very serious injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and long-term disability, and even death. If you are injured in a crash involving a large semi-truck, it is essential for you to partner with a law firm that has the ability to fight large companies, large insurers, and the law firms that defend them, and that has the resources to make detailed and timely inquiries into the facts and elements that apply in commercial semi-trucking cases.
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