Ensure Indemnification with a Truck Accident Attorney
Indemnification. You have probably seen the word before, and it’s usually used in association with insurance policies. Really, it’s a fancy way of saying, “to be made whole again.” After an accident, the insurance kicks in and provides monetary reimbursement that is supposed to make your finances “whole” again. Often, however, that doesn’t happen. To get there, you need the help of a semi truck wreck attorney that will fight on your behalf.
Because a semi truck weighs so much more than a car (80,000 pounds versus 5,000 pounds in many cases), the damage and fatality rate in these accidents are much higher than in car on car accidents. Because the problems are so much higher, and so much more complicated, you need to seek semi truck accident legal help.
Four Major Causes of Semi Truck Accidents
When we talk about semi trucks, we are referring to the large freight haulers often called 18-wheelers. These causes aren’t limited to semi trucks though; any commercial truck driver is held to a higher driving standard because of the potentially serious results if they mess up.
Commercial Truck Driver Fatigue
Current regulations allow drivers to be on the road for a maximum of 11 hours per day (following 10 consecutive hours of not driving). That time is bumped up to 14 hours if there is a small break during those hours. Without getting too much into the finer details of hourly limitations, suffice to say that after many consecutive days on the road, drivers get tired! It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, fatigue sets in and decision making is impaired.
If you have been involved in a semi-truck accident, you need an attorney to help you settle the case.
Truck Driver Drug Use
Because driving is tiring, and because many drivers work back-to-back 11+ hour days, drug use is not uncommon. And we aren’t talking narcotics (although there are instances where that has been the cause); instead, many drivers turn to over-the-counter drugs. From coffee to no-doze, to other stimulants that help ward off the drowsiness, and on to other medications such as allergy meds that actually cause impaired function, drugs don’t have to be illegal to have a detrimental effect.
After an accident with a semi truck, it’s important to have an attorney help to determine the actual cause.
Mechanical Issues
Commercial trucks have required inspections every 12 months. Since there are many mechanical issues that can occur between inspections, drivers should be doing a quick inspection before every trip. Unfortunately, this is often skipped. Drivers miss issues that could have been easily spotted in a routine 15 minute inspection. And when a major issue comes up, such as the loss of brakes, accidents with fatal outcomes occur.
Your truck accident attorney can prove that mechanical inspections were not up-to-date after your accident.
Stress to Meet Deadlines
Truck drivers are under a lot of stress to get shipments to the destination on time. Combine that with limitations on driving hours, and some drivers will take unnecessary risks to avoid being reprimanded by their employer. The result is a less safe road for everyone and their travels.
Enlisting the help of a truck accident attorney can allow a probe into the company policies to determine the issues.
Attorney Zach Herbert Offers Legal Help after a Semi Truck Accident
Commercial truck drivers are under a lot of stress. Often they aren’t trained properly. Sometimes they’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sometimes fatigue has set in and their decision making skills are slowed down. When a semi truck driver causes an accident, it’s often with fatal consequences.
To help prevent future accidents, the drivers and their companies need to be held accountable. On top of that, you and your family need to be indemnified. Too often, a quick settlement that doesn’t nearly cover the costs associated with the accident (not to mention ongoing pain and suffering) is offered.
Attorney Zach Herbert, serving Texas and Oklahoma as a semi truck accident attorney, can help you get the restitution that you deserve. If you’re ready to learn more, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 214-414-3808 and let’s chat.
Let’s make this right.