TRUCKING ACCIDENTS
TRUCKING ACCIDENT Attorneys
As an experienced trucking accident lawyer can attest, trucking accidents often cause tremendous destruction, life-changing injuries, and death. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in or near Philadelphia, contact the trucking accident attorneys at Schwarz & Schwarz at (215) 925-1200 for your free, no-obligation consultation. Hold dangerous truck drivers and owners accountable for the injuries they cause.
Statistics show that most trucking accidents could have been avoided if the required maintenance and repair had been performed on the truck, or if dangerous operators had been adequately trained and supervised. Our trucking accident attorneys have represented clients injured in trucking accidents since 1967, and are known for thoroughly investigating the cause of the accident and identifying each and every party at fault. This is how we get our clients the compensation they deserve.
Your job is to recover from your injuries. Let our experienced truck accident lawyers in Philadelphia investigate the cause of the accident and find out who is liable. We know how to battle the large national insurance companies, and when we take a trucking accident case we intend to win. Put our experience and proven track record to work for you.
Why You Need Schwarz & Schwarz
For Your Trucking Accident Case
There are three reasons you need an experienced Philadelphia trucking accident attorney by your side when you’ve been injured in an accident:
1. The Insurance Companies Will Fight to Avoid Paying You.
The big trucking companies have correspondingly big national insurance companies and their adjusters, doctors, and lawyers are ready to fight you. Insurance companies only make money for their shareholders when they don’t pay claims or underpay claims. You need an experienced truck accident attorney with a track record of winning large settlements against the insurance companies on your side.
2. Determining Who Is Liable for the Truck Accident Requires an Investigation
Determining liability for property damage, repairs, and personal injuries is much more complicated in a trucking accident case than in a regular auto accident, because of the complexity of the investigation and the interplay between state and federal laws and regulations.
In a passenger vehicle accident, the drivers simply exchange contact and insurance information. In a trucking accident, you need much more than that. It is likely that the driver works for a hauling company or for the producer of the goods being hauled. Schwarz & Schwarz will investigate and find out:
- Who owns the truck;
- Who employs the driver;
- Who loaded the truck;
- Who owns the load;
- Whether the driver was adequately trained;
- Whether the driver was adequately rested;
- Whether the driver was sober;
- Whether the truck itself was in good repair and properly loaded;
- Whether there was a pothole or debris on the road or other hazards that caused or contributed to the accident.
3. Trucking is Regulated by State and Federal Law
There is a complex web of federal and state trucking laws that we need to negotiate in order to get you fair compensation. We’ve been representing truck accident victims since 1967 and are extremely familiar with the legal processes surrounding these dangerous and complex accidents. We will put our experience to work for you and get you the compensation you deserve.
What is the Average Settlement of a Trucking Accident Case in PA?
Settlement amounts for trucking accidents vary widely due to the severity of injuries and property damage. However, large truck accident claims often settle for higher amounts due to the severity of damages that can be caused by a tractor-trailer or semi-truck.
The following factors influence the amount of the truck accident settlement:
Factor #1: The Severity of Injuries Sustained in the Truck Accident.
A victim of a trucking accident may be compensated for medical bills, lost wages, and future loss in earning capacity. When a trucking accident causes permanent injury or disability, the settlement may include the projected costs of future medical care.
Factor #2: The Intangible Damages the Victim Suffers from the Trucking Accident.
A victim of a trucking accident may also receive compensation for pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life if permanently injured. If the victim died as a result of the truck accident, his or her spouse and children may be compensated for the loss of consortium or guidance.
Factor #3: The Degree of Fault for the Truck Accident.
If the driver or any other party was grossly negligent or the factors leading to the accident were created recklessly or intentionally, the victim of the accident may also be entitled to “punitive damages” which are intended to punish the wrongdoer.
Factor #4: The Degree of Damage to the Victim’s Vehicle
When a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle collide, the damage to the passenger vehicle is often so severe that the victim must get compensated for the purchase of a new vehicle.
Factor #5: The Skill and Experience of Your Attorney
Who is Liable in a Semi-Truck Accident?
Potentially liable parties in trucking accidents may include:
- The driver;
- The bar or restaurant or party host that overserved the driver, if applicable;
- The driver’s hauling agency or other employers;
- Whomever loaded the truck and their employer;
- The truck owner;
- Whomever manufactured the truck and its parts;
- Whomever is responsible for maintaining and repairing the truck;
- The producer of the goods the driver is hauling.
One or more of these parties can be held liability for your injuries and property damage. Our Philadelphia truck accident lawyers will investigate and find out who is responsible for the accident and hold them accountable.
What are the Most Common Types of Trucking Accidents and How Do They Occur?
Unfortunately, because of the size of semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and construction vehicles relative to that of passenger vehicles, the most common trucking accidents cause a lot of property damage, severe injuries, and even death, especially when high speeds are involved.
Additionally, due to inherent blind spots it is difficult for a truck driver to see and be aware of what is behind and on the sides of the truck., This lack of visibility often is a large contributor to trucking accidents.
The Most Common Trucking Accidents in Philadelphia include:
- Truck collides with a passenger vehicle
- Truck strikes motorcyclist
- Truck strikes cyclist
- Truck strikes pedestrian or pedestrians
- The truck leaves roadway and strikes building, injuring occupants
Why do Truck Accidents Occur?
- Equipment failure or malfunction
- Driver error
- Distracted driving
- Improper lane change
- Tailgating
- Brake lights out
- Tire blow out
- Insecure trailer
- Improper stowing or towing of cargo
- Steering system failure
- Brake system failure
- Suspension failure
- Powertrain failure
Truck Accident Statistics in
Pennsylvania
PennDot recently reported that in 2019, there were 7,036 heavy trucking accidents in Pennsylvania, of which 12.3% of them were fatal and caused by a variety of different mechanical failures:
- Tire/Wheel failure – 122 accidents
- Brake failure – 77 accidents
- Unsecure or Overloaded trailer – 37 accidents
- Powertrain failure – 18 accidents
- Steering system failure – 16 accidents
- Improper Towing or trailer hitch failure – 12 accidents
- Suspension failure – 9 accidents
- Other mechanical failures – 6 accidents
- Exhaust system failure – 3 accidents
- Truck light failure – 2 accidents
About 89% of semi-truck accidents occurred on the Interstate, other state highways, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, rather than local roads. In other words, potentially avoidable mechanical failures at high speed caused most trucking accidents in Pennsylvania.
Talk to the Trucking Accident Lawyers of Schwarz & Schwarz About Your Case
If you’ve been involved in a catastrophic trucking accident in or near Philadelphia, contact Schwarz & Schwarz, Philadelphia truck accident attorneys, to get the compensation you deserve. Call us at 215-925-1200 to schedule your free consultation.