Truck and Commercial Accidents

Approximately every 15 minutes a person is injured or dies in an accident involving an 18-wheeler, tractor trailer, or semi truck. Being centrally located in the United States, Kansas roadways are part of the backbone for commerce occurring throughout the nation. The trucking industry plays a vital role in our economy, and as a result, trucks are very common on our roads.

The number of semi trucks, large trucks and 18-wheelers involved in accidents with serious injuries or fatalities has increased substantially due to such factors as driver distraction, fatigue, intoxication, driver error, equipment failure or defects, unsafe vehicle operation and large or unstable loads.

Examples of truck defects are:

• Problems with tires or wheels
• Brake-related crashes
• Engine/transmission problems
• Defective steering wheels

The legal weight for a semi truck and trailer is 80,000 pounds (without a special overweight permit) compared to the average weight of a car of about 5,000 pounds. A semi truck requires substantially greater distance than a car to stop. Drivers of semi trucks are professionals and should have special training and skill to safely operate these large vehicles on our roadways.  This specialized training results in a higher duty owed to other drivers. Clearly, the consequences of an 80,000 pound truck colliding with a car or passenger vehicle can be substantial resulting in devastating injuries. Knowing how companies screen, hire and train drivers is critical to safety and properly representing those injured by truck drivers.

Understanding the dynamics of semi truck crashes, the specific state and federal laws/regulations, the unique crash data/electronic recording devices, the industry standards, the complex legal relationships between drivers, trucking companies and other shipping entities requires specialized knowledge to maximize the recovery of damages resulting from semi truck collisions.