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 Facts about Truck Accidents
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| Spotlight on Tractor Trailer
Accidents |
December,
2008 |
Truck Accident Lawyers
Representing victims of truck accidents and tractor-trailer
wrecks presents a challenge and complexity not experienced in
other types of wrecks. The attorneys of Law Offices of Doug
Monsour have risen to that challenge many times. The resulting
catastrophic injuries alone make trucking accidents and
tractor-trailer wrecks distinct from all others, but the
resulting compensatory offers make these wrecks dangerous to the
unwary even after the wreck. Our experienced lawyers know what
you can expect to face and can help you find justice—no matter
how evasive it may seem.
A trucking accident and tractor-trailer wreck that involves a
motor carrier regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) has built-in protection for an injured consumer. The
problem is that the carriers will not disclose that they have
excess insurance policies beyond the primary policy without your
filing a suit:
- They will not tell you that the driver of the
DOT-regulated vehicle is their statutory employee,
regardless of the fact that the driver might be an
owner-operator and might have a contract with the regulated
company, which refers to the driver as an owner-operator.
- They will not tell you they are responsible for the
actions of that driver as long as the driver acted within
the scope of that statutory employment.
- They will not tell you they have valued your claim at 5
times or 10 times the set amount when they are really only
offering you the base amount for a full release of your
right to sue.
Before sorting out all the experts for proving the catastrophic
injuries, experts should be consulted regarding liability. It is
not an accident when the risks for tractor-trailer wrecks are
well established and can be avoided. A reconstruction expert
should be called while evidence is still fresh. Reliance on old
evidence can disqualify an otherwise good expert and keep the
video reconstruction that helps the jury follow your theory of
liability out of evidence. Satellite GPS records and electronic
control modules must be identified and read before they are
destroyed - usually within 90 days as a standard operating
procedure for most companies.
Almost every 18-wheeler case should plead negligent supervision,
negligent hiring, and negligent retention, as these facts
usually are usually borne out through discovery all the way up
to trial. The driver's logs, driver qualification file, and
driving record should be reviewed. Then depositions should be
taken of the trucking company's safety director, corporate
representative, relevant dispatcher, and others having knowledge
of the wreck.
The condition of the tractor-trailer and its brakes should be
considered. Trucks are often poorly maintained and driven by
truckers with serious safety deficiencies. An alarming number of
these drivers are fatigued, under the influence of drugs,
injury lawyers or
medically disqualified to drive a truck.
We have handled claims against
- Watkins & Shepard Trucking, Inc.
- Cal-Ark International, Inc.
- USA Motor Express
- J&P Trucking
- Autobahn Freightliners LTD
- National Bus Carriers LTD
- Weston Transport
- Woody Bogler Trucking
- USA Truck, Inc.
- Landstar Ranger, Inc.
- Graham Trucking, Inc.
- Stuart Small Trucking
- Star Transportation, Inc.
- A&J Transportation
- West Florida Transport
- Clarksville Refrigerated
- D&H Trucking
- Werner Enterprises
- All American Bottling Corporation, LLC
- Callaway Transfer and Storage
- PSM, Inc.
- Gail Stuart Trucking, Inc.
- Willis Shaw Express, Inc.
- Paccar, Inc.
- Central Hauling Company
- J.L. Trucking
- Jacobson Transport Company, Inc.
- Strimbu Transport, Inc.
- Lance Trucking, LLC
- Roadway Express
- Schneider National, Inc.
- JNJ Express
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Truck
Accident Resources |
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Did
You Know? |
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One out of every eight traffic
fatalities involves a trucking accident.
contact.php
- Truck Accident Lawyer
Around 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year in
the United States. Of these, approximately 5,000
trucking accidents result in fatalities. In fact, one
out of every eight traffic fatalities involves a
trucking accident.
Hire
- Truck Accident Attorney
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