Truck and Bus Accidents
When a truck or bus collides with a passenger vehicle, disaster follows.
When a truck or bus collides with a passenger vehicle, disaster follows. It is among the deadliest types of auto accidents in the United States. The reason is simple: the sheer size of the truck (and its potential contents) versus a passenger vehicle. The average truck with a fully loaded trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and a tour bus can weigh more that 54,000 pounds while the average passenger vehicle's weight ranges between 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a truck accident, receiving fair and just compensation may be your only recourse for physical, mental, and emotional recovery.
Accidents involving 18-wheelers or commercial trucks or buses are different from accidents involving only passenger vehicles. There's a lot more involved. The truck driver isn't the only one who may be liable. There are federal regulations to consider alongside state laws. The mechanics involved in the truck, too, are quite different and may be relevant, making truck accident cases more complex.
The problem is this: an insurance company may not settle for what's fair. You may need to file a personal injury claim. At Sandberg & Pace LLC, our truck accident attorney in Anchorage can help you file a strong, well-documented claim while advocating your rights and representing your best interests. Contact us today either online or at (907) 222-4003 to learn more.
Common Truck and/or Bus Accidents and Injuries
Accidents involving semi-trucks or another type of commercial truck are caused for any number of reasons. Some of the most common include: distracted driving, excessive speed, drunk or drugged driving, driving in high winds, unsafe lane changes, inadequate training, inexperience, excessive fatigue, defective truck parts, poor truck maintenance, shifting cargo inside the trailer, and poorly-fastened cargo on a flatbed trailer.
Not all truck accidents are caused by the truck driver or an issue with the truck. Other causes may include environmental conditions, poor road design, or another driver's error. In the end, there may be several causes that lead up to the accident, which again makes these cases more complex than other types of auto accidents.
No matter how it is caused, a truck crash often leads to severe injuries for the people in the passenger vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides annual statistics, and year after year, it's been documented that more than 80 percent of those who die from bodily injuries sustained in a truck accident are occupants of the other vehicle (or pedestrians or bicyclists). Only rarely is the truck driver or a passenger of the truck killed, and that's in part because the sheer size and weight of the truck is to their advantage.
Though fatalities often result from semi-truck collisions, there are other serious injuries that can have life-changing effects on the victim. These injuries include: spinal injuries, broken and fractured bones, crushing injuries, severe or life-threatening lacerations, internal bleeding and damage to internal organs, traumatic brain injuries, nerve damage, paralysis, limb dismemberment, burn injuries and/or death.
In some cases, certain injuries can lead to additional compensation. For example, if you are left scarred or unable to work, you deserve more than someone who will fully recover.
We can help. Contact us today either online or at (907) 222-4003 to learn more.
Understanding of the Law Can Mean the Difference to You and Your Family for Your Claim.
Every driver on the road is required to follow the rules of the road of the jurisdiction that they are in. However, because of the amount of time that they spend on the road as well as the potential devastating consequences that can occur if things go wrong, truck drivers are subject to an additional level of regulations. These regulations are created by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is the federal agency tasked with providing safety oversight for commercial motor vehicles in the United States.
FMCSA regulations touch on nearly every aspect of the trucking business, all with the ultimate goal of keeping the roads safe. Some of these regulations are focused on truck drivers, including special licenses that truck drivers need to acquire and limits on the amount of hours that they can spend on the road. Other regulations are focused on the trucks themselves, such as requirements that trucks undergo regular inspection and maintenance.
A violation of an FMCSA rule can indicate liability, and that is important to win a personal injury or wrongful death claim in Alaska. FMCSA regulations introduce a whole new level of complication to truck accidents.
Truck accidents are also distinct from most car accidents in that truck drivers are usually employees of trucking companies. These companies have a responsibility to make sure that their drivers are trained and adhere to FMCSA regulations.
Why File a Personal Injury Claim for Truck and Bus Accidents in Anchorage?
Commercial vehicle accidents are complex cases. Injuries sustained from them are often severe, and, as such, are extremely costly. Insurance companies may be happy to settle, but the offer will likely not reflect what's fair and just.
When insurance companies make an initial settlement offer, their first goal is to protect their own bottom line – not help the victim recover. They will try to cut costs by not thoroughly investigating the accident. This means the insurer may not uncover all the underlying causes and potential liable parties (e.g., truck driver, trucking company, loaders, mechanics, etc.). Insurance companies will also try to get away with not paying for future medical bills, future lost wages, loss of earned income, and other expenses that you may not be aware of but which the law allows you to recover.
By filing a personal injury claim, victims can pursue the compensation that they really deserve.
Timing of the personal injury claim, however, is critical. There are deadlines you must meet in order to recover. If you miss certain deadlines, like those imposed by statutes of limitations, then you may not be able to recover anything.
Simply put, hiring an experienced truck accident attorney after your accident gives you the best possible chance of ending up with a good outcome in a very bad situation. Numerous parties may be liable for your injuries, and an experienced attorney from Sandberg & Pace LLC will be able to identify those parties and determine how best to pursue compensation. The introduction of these other parties, as well as the complicated web of statutes and regulations, means that pursuing a claim requires a special level of expertise.
Contact a Truck and Bus Accident Attorney in Alaska Today
Truck and bus accidents can be devastating for everyone involved. We represent individuals hurt by various types of commercial vehicles, including trash trucks, dump trucks, side dumps, end dumps, tractors, mail trucks, water trucks, tow trucks, flat beds, passenger vehicles, and buses.
Partner Daniel Pace has as a unique experience, as he was a commercial driver for 11 years prior to going to law school. Make sure you get the compensation you deserve by hiring an injury lawyer at Sandberg & Pace LLC .
Contact us today either online or at (907) 222-4003 to learn more.