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Each year, thousands of injuries and deaths take place involving large trucks. In crashes involving passenger vehicles and big rigs, 98% of the deaths occurred to individuals in the smaller vehicles. Many regulatory entities are established to ensure that trucks abide by proper standards of care to others on the road. The following parties establish standards and oversee safety of commercial vehicles:

• Virginia State officials
• The Federal Highway Administration
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

National licenses have been required for the operation of commercial vehicles. Even with the high number of regulations and oversight, many truck accidents are caused by negligence of either the driver or the trucking company.

Frequent Causes of Truck Accidents

Many truck drivers spend extensive hours driving along roads and highways. With the long amounts of time spent on the road, driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. Under federal laws regarding hours-of-service regulations, interstate commercial drivers cannot drive more than 10 hours at a time or drive after working 15 hours until they have received an 8-hour break. Additionally, commercial drivers are limited to 60 driving hours in a 7-day period or 70 hours in a 7-day period. Another common cause of truck accidents is drug abuse by the truck driver. Additional common causes of truck accidents associated with negligence include:

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Trucking accidents can cause severe injuries that may impact you for the rest of your life. These injuries can also require extensive medical treatment and care, which can cause medical bills to pile up. By obtaining compensation for your injuries, we can help you get back on your feet following an accident. Some of the most common injuries you could sustain in a trucking accident include:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Burns and scarring
• Brain or head injuries
• Broken bones
• Internal bleeding or organ damage

Truck Accident Liability

Determining liability in a truck accident is not as straightforward as determining liability in a car accident since there are usually many possible liable parties, at times there is more than one party held responsible. Of these possible parties, the two that are most often held accountable are the trucking company and the truck driver.

Usually, a truck driver is held responsible if their own behavior, such as drinking and driving led to the accident. Sometimes the driver is held accountable if they own the truck that caused the accident. The trucking company the trucker works for, however is most often found liable for damages. Companies sometimes encourage their drivers to break trucking regulations in order to help save time and money. No matter the cause of your accident, our team of attorneys have the skill and knowledge to properly investigate your case and hold the responsible party accountable.

Contact Our Newport News Injury Attorney

If any commercial truck law is violated and that violation results in a serious accident, the victim can pursue compensation for his or her injuries. If the accident cost your loved one their life, we can also help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party. At Larry King Law, our Newport News personal injury attorney can fight on your behalf for just compensation. With almost 40 years of legal experience, you can trust your case into our lawyer's hands. Contact our firm today for the legal guidance you need!