Accidents involving larger commercial vehicles often result in devastating injuries for those inside smaller passenger cars. When we are discussing commercial vehicles, we are talking about any larger truck, 18 Wheelers, semi-trucks, big rigs, and more. Here, we want to discuss why accidents involving these larger vehicles are different than traditional vehicle versus vehicle collisions.
Accidents involving large commercial trucks have the potential to result in devastating injuries and extensive property damage. This is particularly true for those riding inside smaller passenger vehicles. According to data available from the Federal Highway Administration, we can see that commercial trucks fully loaded with cargo can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When you combine this extreme weight with the length of these vehicles, which can reach up to 75 feet, we can see the potential for devastation when collisions with small vehicles occur.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for individuals inside passenger cars to sustain severe injuries when they are struck by a commercial truck. Some of the most common injuries that occur as a result of these incidents include:
Commercial truck accidents are not the most common type of accident that occurs on the roadways, but when they occur, the results are often devastating. According to information available from the National Safety Council, we could see that there were 5,005 total large trucks involved in fatal collisions during the latest reporting year across this country. Overall, large trucks accounted for 10% of all vehicle accidents that resulted in a fatality during that year. Additionally, during the same year, there were 118,000 total large trucks involved in injury crashes.
The reliance on the trucking industry in this country is significant and increasing every year. As Americans shift from traditional types of shopping towards more online shopping, this is increasing the number of larger commercial vehicles on the roadway.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident with a large commercial truck, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. It is not uncommon for these incidents to occur as a result of the careless or negligent actions of a truck driver or trucking company. This can include any range of state or federal violations, including operating while impaired or distracted, failing to follow hours of service requirements, failing to properly inspect and maintain the larger vehicle, and more.
Individuals who sustain injuries or property damage due to the negligent actions of a truck driver or truck company may be able to recover various types of compensation for their losses. While there is no set amount of money available to individuals, some of the most common types of available compensation include coverage of:
A skilled Denver truck accident attorney can work with trusted medical and economic experts to adequately calculate all total losses and present their findings to the insurance carriers or a personal injury jury.
