Clarks Summit Truck Accident Attorney
Compassionate Support During Challenging Times
Thanks to the number of interstate or state highways in Pennsylvania, chances are that seeing a semi, big rig, or some other commercial truck on the road is a common experience. Some drivers feel cautious when they drive behind or near trucks, and for good reason: due to their weight and size, trucks can cause serious damage and injuries if involved in an accident.
Some trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, making accidents extremely dangerous for all drivers and passengers involved. If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident, you may be requiring extensive medical treatment and have had to take a lot of time off work. Known for our personal injury experience and dedication to injured clients, Vazquez Injury Law Group can be trusted to handle your claim.
Our Clarks Summit truck accident attorney has filed countless claims against negligent trucking companies and other at-fault parties, and we’re fully prepared to defend your rights to compensation.
Call 570-586-5157 for a free consultation with our dedicated team members, or contact us online. We’re available to meet after hours and on weekends for client convenience.
Who is Liable in an Accident Involving Commercial Trucks?
Liability in a truck accident varies from case to case, which is why you can’t look at one case and assume that yours will be navigated and resolved in the same way. You need to hire a personal injury attorney who has the experience needed to investigate your accident and the resources to gather important evidence.
Through our work as a law firm, we’ve seen liability fall on various parties when it comes to truck accidents, including:
- Truck drivers: Drivers may be held personally responsible for negligence, especially if they’re independent contractors and can’t be claimed by the trucking company.
- Truck companies: Truck companies and their insurance companies will often try to avoid liability, but if they are found to have been negligent in training or hiring practices, they can ultimately be held responsible for damages.
- Manufacturers: If a defective part in the truck caused an accident, the truck’s manufacturer can be held responsible for producing that part in a product liability claim.
- Cargo loaders: Cargo is expected to be loaded, unloaded, and transported safely, and sometimes cargo loaders fail to secure their cargo correctly, which can lead to serious accidents on the road. They may be held responsible for negligence.
Recovery is a phone call away. Call 570-586-5157 to reach our truck accident attorney in Clarks Summit. Our team is also proud to serve clients throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, including Hazleton and Scranton.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents often involve other vehicles and it’s often the drivers and passengers of those vehicles who suffer the most serious injuries.
While truck accidents can happen anywhere, including in parking lots, more than 75% of Pennsylvania truck accidents in 2015 occurred in state highways, with the rest occurring on the Pennsylvania Turnpike or a local road.
Some common causes of truck accidents include:
- Speeding: We often see large trucks driving slowly on the road, especially when they’re carrying heavy cargo. When trucks speed, they’re more likely to lose control of their vehicle and have less time to brake for slowed or stopped traffic. Trucks driving at high speeds are likely to cause catastrophic injuries like spinal cord and neck injuries, brain trauma, loss of limbs, and more, as well as death.
- Alcohol or drug use: Truck drivers have been known to be under the influence while driving, whether they’ve consumed alcohol or drugs on their rest breaks or are drinking behind the wheel on a shift. Because truck drivers have to stay awake and drive long distances, some rely on stimulants to keep themselves alert. Being under the influence, however, can impact a driver’s judgment and behavior in negative ways.
- Fatigue: Because of the nature of their work in transporting cargo over long distances and often overnight, truck drivers are often tired and more prone to causing accidents due to fatigue. They’re required like any other employee to take rest and meal breaks, but sometimes they fail to stop in order to deliver cargo on time. Fatigue can prevent drivers from responding to road conditions and may delay their reaction times.
- Manufacturing or maintenance errors: Trucking companies are required to inspect their vehicles before usage and keep them regularly maintained so they don’t cause problems on the road. Inspections should be able to detect any defective parts or systems that need repairs or replacements.
- Poor driver training: Driving a 50,000-pound truck requires training that you can’t get from experience driving a small passenger car. Truck companies are obligated to keep the roads safe and ensure that their employees are trained to operate vehicles without endangering anyone’s safety.
Some common types of truck accidents – which can also be deadly – include jackknifing, which refers to an accident where a truck folds in on itself and can block off an entire road, as well as underrides, which occur when smaller cars get caught beneath a large truck. Unsecured or unbalanced cargo can also fly out of trucks or cause trucks to roll over on their sides.
Hear It From Our Clients
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Mike went above and beyond every single step of the way.
“Mike went above and beyond every single step of the way. Through the most trying time in my young life, Mike was there, or just a phone call away. Without him I'm not sure how it would have gone for me.”
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Settlements & Verdicts
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Work Injury Successful Litigation & Settlement
Fall from scaffolding at work
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Work Injury Successful Resolution
Explosion of machine under pressure resulting in facial injury/ loss of vision
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Slip & Fall Successful Resolution
Slip and fall on ice at major retail store resulting in head injury and neck injuries.
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Work Injury Successful Settlement
Low back injury while lifting at work
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Work Injury Successful Settlement After Litigation
Crush injury to low back and leg when struck by heavy equipment
