What are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Fresno?

Driver fatigue is another common cause of truck accidents in the US and seasoned accident attorneys always examine this possibility.

Fresno, CA – Each year, between 200 and 300 people are killed and thousands are injured in truck accidents in California. If you live in the Fresno area, you must have been caught up more then once in a traffic jam caused by a truck accident on the highway. When you see an ambulance rushing to the scene that means that it was a pretty bad crash. Most truck accidents are as an 80,000 lbs 18-wheeler can do a lot of damage when it hits a passenger car. 

If you or a loved one were recently the victim of such a crash, you should get in touch with an experienced Fresno truck accident lawyer as you’ll certainly need a good professional looking into your case. The most important thing is to determine the exact cause of the accident and who might be liable for damages. With truck accidents often resulting in severe injuries you need to identify all the parties that can be held accountable as you’ll have considerable damages to recover and the trucker’s insurance alone might not be enough.

When is a trucker responsible for damages?

Most truck accidents in the US are caused by a driving error or by reckless driving. If a trucker is speeding along the highway as if he owned it, that’s an accident waiting to happen. Big rigs need considerably more time to stop when there’s an obstacle in front of them. In such a case, the fault lies with the driver and you will probably have to file a personal injury claim against their insurance company.

However, a seasoned California truck accident lawyer will want to dig into the driver’s past. If, for instance, it turns out that the trucker has a history of aggressive driving and traffic rules violations, you may have a case against the company that hired him. Failure to check the driver’s record can be considered negligent hire and the company may be held responsible, at least partly, for what happened.

Driver fatigue is another common cause of truck accidents in the US and seasoned accident attorneys always examine this possibility. When a driver is exhausted, their faculties are impaired and their reaction speed is lower than normal. Your lawyers will examine the electronic logging device on the vehicle to see whether the trucker complied with federal Hours of Service of regulations. If they did not, your lawyers will want to know why. When it is the employer that is urging or encouraging the driver to ignore road safety regulations, they should be held accountable for their actions.

What are the most common technical causes for truck accidents?

When a truck accident is caused by a mechanical problem it is usually a blown tire. Once again, your lawyer will investigate whether the trucking company can be held accountable. It is the company’s duty to provide regular maintenance and replace worn out tires.

At the same time, a blown out tire may be caused by an overloaded truck. Your lawyer will investigate whether the trucking company is responsible for that or if it’s the fault of the shipping company or the load’s owner. 

In certain cases, you may have a case against the manufacturer of a defective part if the investigation establishes that it played a role in the crash.