Large trucks and other commercial vehicles are on the road 24 hours a day in and around Phoenix. Given the size and weight of a commercial vehicle, crashes caused by their drivers and employers can cause severe injuries or fatalities. Nearly all of such accidents are preventable.
If you were injured or lost a family member in a large truck or commercial vehicle accident, you might have a viable personal injury or wrongful death claim Here are some of the ways that large truck and commercial vehicle crashes occur in and around Phoenix:
1. Distracted Driving
Your accident might have been caused by a driver who was talking on a cell phone, texting or using an onboard infotainment center. Hands off of the wheel, eyes off the road and attention being diverted from driving is a dangerous combination.
2. Following Too Closely
A commercial vehicle weighing between 20,000 and 80,000 pounds takes more roadway to stop. Drivers must maintain a proper interval given traffic or weather conditions.
3. Improper Loading
A load shift in a trailer can cause its center of gravity to shift. This can cause a truck to jackknife out of control at a high speed.
4. Poor Maintenance
We see pieces of tires and brakes strewn on the highway. Debris like this is evidence of poor maintenance.
Drowsy or Fatigued Driving: Federal law restricts the amount of time that truck drivers can spend on the road. Reaction time is slowed significantly by fatigue.
Improper Driver Training: Large trucks and commercial vehicles aren’t nearly as maneuverable as family passenger vehicles. Inadequate training or inexperience behind the wheel of a large commercial vehicle can lead to crashes.
Insurers of commercial vehicles know that they’re in for substantial financial exposure after a driver of one of those vehicles causes an accident. They’ll to whatever they can legally do to try and push liability over onto you and devalue your claim. No matter what that insurer’s representative says, don’t give him or her a written or recorded statement. Contact our offices right away, and we can arrange for a free confidential consultation and case evaluation. You can tell us what happened, and we can answer your questions too. After that, our personal injury lawyers in Phoenix will advise you on all of your legal options.
