Scottsboro Truck Accident Lawyers
Commercial truck accidents are a tragedy for everyone involved. Even the best-case scenario generally ends with massive property damage and minor injuries. For those who aren’t as lucky, severe or fatal injuries are possible. The vast majority of commercial truck drivers are extremely cautious on the road and do everything they can to avoid accidents. However, when you encounter an impaired, fatigued, or distracted driver, you could be at risk of a collision.
Since tractor-trailers and other large trucks can cause so much damage, these cases are often complex. You’ll want to work with a truck accident lawyer to present the strongest case possible. Call Hodges Trial Lawyers at 256-826-4129 to schedule a consultation with our team now.
Truck Accidents in Alabama
The Alabama Department of Transportation makes it easy to keep track of accident statistics and trends, helping drivers like you stay safe and avoid accidents. Although truck accidents had been trending upwards since 2012, they did see a significant dip in 2020. That year, there were 8,579 crashes and 130 fatalities. Once data is available for 2021 and 2022, we will see if those lower numbers were just the result of quieter roads due to the pandemic or an actual downward trend.
The most common places for truck accidents in Alabama include interstates and state routes, which include roads like Lee Highway and Alabama State Route 279 in Scottsboro. City roads also saw a surprising amount of truck collisions, perhaps due to stop-and-go traffic that can be difficult for larger vehicles to navigate.
Some of the most interesting and useful information provided by the DOT relates to the causes of Alabama truck accidents. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents reported by the DOT include:
- Improper lane change or use
- Failure to yield right of way
- Unseen obstacle in the road
- Following too closely
- Failure to judge stopping distance accurately
- Defective or malfunctioning equipment
- Evasive action to avoid hitting an obstacle
- Unsafe backing up
- Unsafe turning
- Driving too fast for weather conditions
These include actions both by truck drivers and the other drivers involved in collisions.
Different Types of Truck Collisions
There are several types of truck crashes that make up the majority of collisions on American roads. They include:
- Rollovers: A truck that rolls over has the potential to crush other vehicles, block off entire roadways, and leak hazardous materials onto the road. These accidents are a major risk when a truck is overloaded or has an unbalanced load. They may also occur during high-speed winds.
- Underride: When another vehicle hits the back of a truck, it may get stuck underneath the back of the truck. This is incredibly dangerous and often results in severe or fatal injuries, as the truck often rips away the top part of the vehicle. As a result, a growing number of commercial trucks come with underside protection.
- Sideswipe/blind spot: If a truck driver attempts to change lanes when someone is in their blind spot, they may sideswipe the other vehicle or run them off the road completely.
- Jackknife: Jackknife accidents are relatively common among truck collisions. They happen when a truck driver turns or swerves too quickly, causing the trailer to swing out and away from the tractor. The weight of the tractor pulls the trailer and causes the driver to lose complete control of the vehicle.
- Wide turn: A truck driver attempting to turn right may do so from a center or left lane. If they turn too wide, they may hit someone in the opposite lane. If they turn too narrow, they may hit a vehicle on their right side.
Common Injuries
Since trucks weigh dozens of times more than passenger vehicles, a truck accident has the potential to cause severe or fatal injuries to occupants of smaller vehicles. Injuries commonly reported in truck accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Cuts, abrasions, and road rash
- Whiplash and concussions
- Amputations
- Burns, both from fires and from chemicals
Why You Need an Attorney and How We Can Help
You absolutely need a truck accident lawyer if you are involved in a collision in Scottsboro. Truck drivers have an enormous team supporting them after a crash, all of whom are focused on limiting liability and financial damage. They may be protected by their employer, their own insurance company, their employer’s insurance company, and their employer’s legal team. If you are to receive any compensation, you need someone who will aggressively advocate for you, prove your damages, and fight on your behalf.
Truck accidents are more complicated than other types of accidents for a number of reasons. First, a lot more evidence is available. Due to federal regulations, large trucks must have electronic logging devices that monitor hours of service, miles driven, and other important metrics.
This data may show unsafe driving habits, federal regulation violations, and evidence of fatigued or distracted driving. On top of that, there is much more compensation available in truck accident claims. Trucks are covered by substantially larger insurance policies, so victims with serious or life-threatening injuries may be able to get full and fair compensation.
From the moment your accident occurs, know that there are multiple parties working against you to ensure that your compensation doesn’t hurt their company’s bottom line. They have a wide range of tactics they’ll use to decrease or eliminate your settlement completely. At Hodges Trial Lawyers, we know these tactics and how we can best evade them. Our focus is gathering evidence and using it to demand the compensation you deserve. You should have the time and space to heal from this traumatic event—let us handle your legal needs.
Choose Hodges Trial Lawyers for Your Truck Accident Claim
Are you ready to move forward with your personal injury claim? Let’s set up a time to talk more about your case and what comes next. Call our team at 256-826-4129 or send us a quick message online to schedule a consultation.
