The trucking sector is a vast field that employs many individuals. These truck drivers are crucial to the movement of goods across various parts of the nation. From Walmart to Tyson and other large firms, many rely on their trucking workers to ensure business runs as usual.
Many are not aware that the trucking industry adds significant value to the economy of the United States and the scale at which it operates. A recent report notes that these large vehicles and key personnel moved over 9 billion tons of freight goods in 2017, bringing about over $600 billion in yearly revenue. Further, over 60% of the consumable goods arrive at different locations through the assistance of the trucking industry.
Now, the trucking industry necessitates regular movement by human personnel. Therefore, a high frequency and scale of activity is likely to bring about issues. One of these issues is that of truck accidents. Truck accidents involve commercial trucks or big rigs and can cause significant harm due to the nature of these incidents.
It is no wonder why truck drivers and the creators of these vehicles face more accountability than other individuals on the road. However, if an issue were to occur, you may note that individuals will be held liable and proper compensation must be provided for those injured in the incident.
What should you know if you are involved in a trucking accident? How does the law relate to truck accidents? What are some of the most common concerns in these incidents and situations?
Let us take a look at some of the primary concerns individuals may have after they have been in a truck accident.
We will first look at some of the common questions people may have when in a truck accident. We want to look at the primary steps to take after a truck accident.
If you are looking to find a law firm that handles truck accident cases, work with our attorneys at Gregory Spektor & Associates today. We handle a wide variety of truck accident cases that deal with car accidents and large trucks.
Our truck accident lawyer professionals understand that truck accident situations can create stress for a wide variety of parties and we help you move forward in incidents with tractor trailers. Work with our truck accident attorneys to help with truck accidents and related situations today.
Common Questions and Terms in Commercial Truck Accidents
When thinking about truck accidents and issues related to a truck driver, it is necessary to understand questions that revolve around truck accidents. It is important to start at the fundamentals so you can see how a truck accident lawyer will look at definitions and proceed with your case.
What is a commercial trucking company?
A commercial trucking company is a firm that will work with other firms to transport goods on their behalf. These commercial trucking firms will also employ human truck driver staff members and use tractor-trailer equipment to conduct these activities.
These firms are known as commercial trucking firms because they will work primarily with commercial entities. Many of these trucking companies will purchase and take ownership of their vehicles.
What is a commercial truck?
A commercial truck is a vehicle that is present in the course of regular truck operations. These vehicles are involved in commercial trucking activities and the movement of valuable items. You are likely to see tractor trailers cruising along the highway and sometimes on regular roads. Trucking companies will employ various vehicles, whether they are tanker trucks or heavy-duty freight trucks. The type of commercial truck will vary depending on the firm and the type of jobs that they carry out on behalf of their clients.
Remember that some commercial trucking companies will even have regular pickup trucks if they are dealing with smaller projects. Depending on the size of the truck, the commercial driver may be required to obtain a commercial driver’s license to conduct their work.
Why are tractor-trailer accidents more concerning?
These tractor-trailer accidents or trucking accidents are more concerning because they impact the individuals involved therein. The average heavy-duty truck can weigh over 60,000 pounds. At the same time, remember that regular vehicles will weigh a bit over 2,500 pounds.
As you can see, when large forces collide with other large or smaller forces, it can create significant issues for those involved in the incident. The injuries sustained by the parties involved in the truck accident case can range from major to fatal.
It is this fatality or increase in the severity of the injury that causes more to call a truck accident attorney to move forward with a case. If you are looking for help with incidents related to a truck driver, work with competent truck accident attorneys to help you streamline your case.
What factors contribute to these commercial truck accidents?
These various truck accidents can occur due to the commercial truck driver’s negligence or the other party. The issues may be due to that of the vehicle or individual.
Insurance firms and other parties will seek to understand the cause of the incident and get down to the bottom of the situation. If the passenger cars were at fault, they would know. If the large trucks were the culprit in the situation in New York City, then law firms and other entities will be aware of that as well.
They will also be aware of the serious injuries that took place due to the actions of the truck driver or as a result of the incident. Truck accident victims must move quickly and decisively when it comes to matters relating to commercial truck drivers and large trucks.
Parties such as a personal injury lawyer, insurance companies, the truck driver’s employer, and other parties will have to reconcile what happened at the accident scene, how the accident occurred, and move forward from there.
Now that we have talked about some of the most common questions present in these large truck crashes let’s go over some of the actions to take when involved in a truck and car accident.
Steps to Take After Being Involved in A Truck Accident
There are a wide variety of steps to take after an incident involving large trucks and a tractor trailer driver.
It is essential to prioritize your health and consider your future earning potential after a truck accident. We know that truck accidents are troubling experiences due to the type of injuries in these incidents.
You must know which actions to take immediately after you have experienced such an incident. Therefore, it is best to have full knowledge of the actions to take after an accident ahead of time.
At our law firm, we realize that the steps you follow after an incident will long-term affect your life. From your health to your legal rights, much is at stake after such an incident. Here is an overview of critical steps that you must take after being involved in such an incident.
This essential checklist will be quite helpful after a truck accident.
Come to a Full Stop at The Accident Site
Everyone involved in the incident must ensure they come to a halt. They must place their vehicles in a safe area. Further, all involved in the incident should stay on site.
Reach Out to Law Enforcement
It is necessary to navigate to a safer place, if possible, and then call law enforcement. Experts will suggest calling the local law enforcement to initiate an incident report. It is best to file a report for situations where individuals suffer mild or severe injuries. It is certainly best to do so in cases where property damage occurs.
Obtain Medical Assistance
Healthcare is critical after an incident. Even if you feel fine, it is necessary to obtain medical assistance. Your healthcare professionals can assess your situation. They will run tests and check if your mind and body are functioning regularly and if everything is fine. If everything is fine, then you have full certainty and clearance on your health. If everything is not fine, then you are able to get ahead of the situation as quickly as possible. Whether the primary issue is internal bleeding or some other matter, your health care team would be able to address it.
Further, as you go and visit your healthcare worker, this creates documentation and history, should the need for proof arise for later.
Ensure To Conduct Visual Documentation
Issues arise when bias gets in the way. The more proof that you have, the better off that you will be. Photographs of the scene and video recordings will help you to have a more concrete representation of the scene. These visuals will help all parties involved in a future assessment to have more information. Thanks to improved clarity on mobile devices, individuals can easily take fantastic pictures and videos.
Collect Contact Information of the Necessary Parties
You should make sure to get the contact information of those involved in the incident. At the same time, it would be fantastic to obtain the contact information of unbiased witnesses on the scene as well.
Only Say What is Necessary When at The Scene of the Accident
It is necessary to be aware that various comments at the scene of the incident could be problematic. You do not want to place yourself in a situation where you implicate yourself while at the scene.
Remember to answer concisely, stay objective, and move forward with further actions as you work with your lawyer. Refrain from apologies, admissions of guilt, or anything else that could create issues.
Speak with Other Professionals After You Collaborate with Your Attorney
Always work with your legal attorney when interacting with insurance companies or other firms that may be involved in this case. Refrain from working on any documents or acknowledging any paperwork without having your lawyer present.
Work with a Competent Truck Accident Attorney at Gregory Spektor & Associates Today
At Gregory Spektor & Associates, we assist trucking professionals involved in trucking incidents. If you are looking for competent professionals with knowledge, experience, and expertise in this field, reach out to Gregory Spektor & Associates today.
We understand that truck accidents occur and will make sure to provide you with assistance from a truck accident attorney today.
We will work with you through the truck accident claim process and continue to work with truck drivers through various truck accident cases.
Reach out to our truck accident lawyers today for your large truck accidents. Whether you have a large tractor-trailer involved in the incident or a more mid-sized truck at your trucking company, our experienced truck accident lawyer professionals are here to help with your case.
Gregory Spektor & Associates
1 Cross Island Plaza Suite 203C,
Queens, NY 11422
Phone: +1-800-318-8888
