Brentwood, TN Truck Accident Lawyer

Brentwood has several reasons to keep vehicles on the road and trucks entering the city. Whether moving items from Nashville to Franklin, constructing a new farmhouse home, or taking a journey outside the town to get some peace. The many parks, lakes, live music scenes, and other attractions draw drivers.

Numerous trucks transport things into the city to sustain it, including the students who move there during the school year. Even though the general population depends on truckers to transport products, they may be hazardous if the driver is drowsy, preoccupied, or even using prescription drugs. This is often true when the truck is operated by an independent contractor. Additionally, there are passenger cars that crash with trucks.

A large rig’s size and weight make it potentially fatal and inflict catastrophic injuries in the event of an accident. In Brentwood, TN, driving next to tractor-trailers is typical. You may lessen your chances of getting into an accident with a truck if you know the signs and steer clear of the regions they can’t see.

We never represent the truck companies, but devote all of our passion to helping injured truck accident victims. Ask all the truck accident questions you have during your free consultation.

BRENTWOOD TRUCK ACCIDENT LAW FIRM

You would need a knowledgeable Brentwood truck accident attorney from Warrior Truck Accident Attorneys if you were hurt or lost a loved one in a truck wreck. We are a large, national legal company with locations across the country and a headquarters in Nashville.

We also collaborate with affiliated personal injury law firms in most states that share our priorities and commitment to quality. Call or email us immediately if we can assist you, no matter where you are. The personal injury lawyer you see on late night news commercials is not qualified to handle truck accident cases.

An experienced truck accident lawyer is completely devoted to trucking accidents and knows how to investigate the truck manufacturer for defective designs or construction, whether the truck company should be held liable, and how to help you get medical treatment for your serious injuries.

A commercial motor vehicle crash has 10x the moving parts of a typical car accident, which is why your average personal injury attorney is not qualified to handle a truck accident claim. Our Brentwood, TN law firm only takes truck accident cases. Call a truck accident lawyer today for a free consultation. Too much is at stake to try handling personal injury claims on your own.

Insurance adjusters will often try to get a truck accident victim to settle their personal injury claim for pennies on the dollar shortly after the accident. With a trucking accident, they know a lot of money is on the line and the last thing they want is for you to hire an experienced truck accident attorney who will hold the insurance company and trucking company liable.

Truck accident liability can be difficult to prove because commercial trucks are complicated pieces of machinery.

Call us at 629-257-8558 any day or night for free assistance, or send your case to us right now by clicking here.

Learn How to Get Your Life Back

WHY YOU SHOULD RETAIN AN EXPERIENCED BRENTWOOD TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER

​A mistake might be made if you choose to have a conventional car accident attorney represent you in a truck accident case. Accidents involving business vehicles are different from collisions with other passenger vehicles. Employing a truck accident lawyer with little expertise might lower your settlement.

The trucking industry is known for destroying valuable evidence that shows their truck driver caused the truck accident. Insurance companies will often collaborate with them to conceal evidence of driver error to prevent personal injury cases from settling for fair amounts. The truck accident victim needs an experienced truck accident lawyer in their corner to see that all evidence is preserved.

Truck accidents and collisions involving passenger vehicles differ in that they:

#1. SIZE

Up to 80,000 pounds may be the weight of a fully-loaded vehicle. Depending on the kind of trailer, even a truck and trailer that are not loaded might weigh between 35,000 and 45,000 pounds. Additionally, the excessive cargo the driver is transporting may consider being at least 100,000 pounds. Depending on the specifics of the collision, large vehicles like this might result in fatal casualties.

#2. LIABILITY

You can have a case against more than one defendant if you collide with a commercial vehicle. In some instances, a collision involves more than just the driver. On occasion, the motorist is not to blame for the crash.

An expert truck accident attorney in Brentwood and his staff comprehensively investigate your case to identify all parties responsible for your medical costs and other losses.

#3. ADDITIONAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

In addition to federal legislation, truckers must abide by different rules and restrictions. Our truck accident attorneys in Brentwood are knowledgeable in the laws and regulations, unlike a car accident attorney who may overlook truck driver carelessness related to trucking regulations.

#4. LEGAL ISSUES

The attorneys that large trucking businesses need are readily available. Fighting renowned attorneys alone is impossible. It would be challenging to take on well-known semi truck accident lawyers without assistance, even if you were familiar with the laws. The rights of trucking accident victims have been defended for years by our Brentwood accident attorneys.

Furthermore, the judicial system is already convoluted. When you throw in more defendants and their counsel, things grow trickier. It is simple to forget to provide paperwork to one or more defendants, miss a deadline, or both. Both errors may endanger your case. Not to mention, you need to understand how to get compensated for lost wages and future wage loss due to the being hit by a commercial truck.

Finally, settling with two or more defendants is challenging, particularly if one defendant feels the other is more responsible. Negotiations and litigation are sometimes complicated further by defendants suing one another. Hire the best truck accident lawyer from Warrior Truck Accident Attorneys and don’t look back. You will be cared for like you are our family.

#5. MULTIPLE DEFENDANTS: WHO ARE THEY?

Frequently, a truck driver is only partly to blame for an accident, or maybe not at all.

The transportation firm is another party that can be liable.

●       An unaffiliated truck mechanic.

●       An independent dispatcher.

●       An outside inspector.

●       An unaffiliated freight loader.

●       A different car.

●       An individual who rents a truck from the driver.

●       Producers of trucks and trailers.

●       Makers of components.

●       Truck manufacturer

●       Semi truck driver

Causes of Truck Accidents

One common cause of truck accidents is intoxicated driving, whether from alcohol or narcotics.

There are many different reasons why truck accidents occur.

●       Conducting when inattentive

●       and inadequate vehicle upkeep.

●       Car problems.

●       Replacement components with flaws.

●       Driving that is careless or aggressive.

●       Roads with poor maintenance.

●       Unfavorable conditions, particularly the sun directly in the driver’s eyes.

●       Tiredness or being worn out.

●       Speeding, particularly extreme speeding, especially while escaping.

In addition, irresponsible driving, hanging in a truck’s blind zones, driving while intoxicated, or inattentive driving by other motorists might result in a truck colliding with you. In the trucker’s blind area, a passenger car may sometimes merge in front of a truck.

Without seeing the car, the truck driver may slam on the brakes, which might cause the trailer to jackknife. It would be difficult to criticize the trucker in this situation. The other driver’s carelessness instead brought on the collision.

Before leaving the yard, drivers must examine their commercial motor vehicles. However, ignoring a concern might result in an accident if the driver does. Your injuries may also be partially the fault of a traffic inspector who notices the problem but does not order the vehicle off the road.

Occasionally, drivers load their trucks; other times, business loaders load the commercial vehicles. In other instances, outside loaders may be used to load the trucks. While the truck driver must double-check that the cargo is secured and balanced correctly before leaving, improperly balanced loads may also cause injuries.

SETTLEMENT VALUE CALCULATOR

TRUCK RULES AND REGULATIONS

​Truckers are subject to federal laws and other safety restrictions in addition to the rules and regulations governing traffic that apply to everyone.

Truck drivers must follow the regulations set out by the Federal Highway Traffic Safety Administration (FMCSA) to ensure their and other motorists’ safety.

The regulations mandate driver background checks.

●       Rules for hours of service.

●       Checks on trucks.

●       checking for alcohol and drugs.

●       Procedural regulations, such as those governing logbooks and record storage.

According to the regulations, a truck driver must submit to drug and alcohol testing before being hired by a firm and testing after an accident and at random.

Hours-of-service laws limit a trucker’s ability to drive. After eight hours of driving without stops, truck drivers are required to rest. Truck drivers must also take 34 straight hours off after working 70 hours per week.

Any employer that fails to carry out the necessary investigations and inspections might be held jointly responsible for your injuries. Additionally, suppose a business or a third-party dispatcher “encourages” a truck driver to deliver the cargo on schedule despite her obligations. In that case, the company or third-party dispatcher may be jointly responsible for your injuries and other losses.

TRUCK ACCIDENT INJURIES

From mild to severe injuries that alter your life, vehicle accidents may result in injuries. Only move after a truck collision if you’re sure it won’t lead to further damage. Furthermore, specific truck accident injuries can not become apparent for many hours or even days after the collision.

A lawyer can help you fight for the compensation you deserve by having you keep a record of the accident, including how you feel physically and psychologically. Slowly developing symptoms could go unnoticed by you, but a family member or your Brentwood truck accident attorney might.

Truck accident injuries consist of:

●       Scrapes, cuts, bruises, and bumps.

●       Both sprains and strains.

●       Muscle pulls, tears, and other soft tissue injuries.

●       Burns from heat and chemicals, particularly when gasoline tanks break or the driver carries dangerous materials.

●       If the collision causes you to fall out of your car, you get road rash.

●       Injury to the face, eyes, head, neck, and shoulders.

●       Traumatic brain injuries, such as moderate-to-severe concussions and piercing brain wounds.

●       Damage to the inside.

●       Including partial or total paralysis and back and spinal cord injuries.

●       Fractured bones.

●       Compound and simple fractures.

You can also get secondary injuries due to the primary ones you sustain in the collision. For those with weakened immune systems, open wounds may result in infections. Pre-existing injuries may sometimes get worse as a result of accidents.

Due to the defendant’s negligence-related actions, you would not have had to endure the agony and extra expenses associated with your injuries. Thus the defendant must pay for them.

AFTER A TRUCK ACCIDENT

It will help if you put together your case’s documentation as soon as possible without endangering yourself more. The police will also look into it, but you could see something they don’t.

●       Contact emergency personnel and inquire about any other accident participants.

●       Document the accident site with photos. Take pictures from all possible angles. Take photographs of any damage to the road and the surrounding property, such as the yards, fences, mailboxes, and utility poles.

●       Get the driver’s name, address, phone number, insurance information, and registration details. Take pictures of the driver’s regular and commercial driver’s licenses and the insurance card if you can.

●       Ask witnesses for their contact information. Additionally, it would help if you inquired as to what each witness witnessed.

●       Permit emergency medical personnel to examine you.

●       Police should get your statement. If the police ask you to sign the accident report, carefully read it to ensure they didn’t forget anything you stated.

●       Speak with a lawyer about truck accidents in Brentwood.

As soon as the police let you leave the scene, it would help if you took the ambulance to the hospital so that a doctor may carefully examine you for injuries. If you choose not to call an ambulance, go to the hospital immediately after the accident.

Remember that just because you feel OK doesn’t imply you aren’t injured. Some accident injuries can not become apparent for many hours or days. Doctors and other medical experts may do imaging tests to determine whether you have concealed damages.

FREE CASE REVIEW

WHAT AN BRENTWOOD TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER CAN DO FOR ME

After you hire a Brentwood truck accident attorney to defend your rights after a truck accident, the lawyer and his staff begin collecting evidence to show carelessness. You cannot get compensation for damages unless you can prove carelessness.

The legal team searches for evidence, including police reports, with the help of detectives.

●       Clinical data.

●       The logbooks of the trucker.

●       Images showing the site of the collision (however, your pictures will show more since the police will have cleared the accident scene by the time the investigators get there).

●       Records of truck maintenance.

●       Recalls and other details provided by the manufacturer concerning the vehicle.

●       Driving histories of all those involved.

●       Phone records are kept.

●       Depositions and subpoenas may compel witnesses, the driver, and other parties who could be jointly liable to testify.

●       Any more proof that the at-fault driver or other parties with joint culpability acted negligently.

INSURANCE COMPANY NEGOTIATIONS

Several insurance companies, including your own, may start calling you after an accident. They’ll try to chat with you about the incident and could even make a settlement offer. Always recommend your Brentwood truck accident attorney to the insurance company. Never speak with an insurance provider about the incident.

The goal of insurance businesses is to generate revenue. Each insurance claim they settle lowers their income. Your insurance provider may use strategies to cut costs even if you have been a customer for years and paid your payments on time.

Only provide your name, contact information, the time and place of the accident, and your attorney’s phone number when an insurance company calls or if you call to report the accident.

TACTICS USED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES

Insurance firms use a variety of strategies to avoid paying claims to avoid losing money. They could call you and admit their client was at fault while making you an offer. However, just because they look amenable does not always indicate that they act kindly. They hope you have enough faith in them to accept the settlement offer and go.

However, the compensation they pay you could not even come close to covering your medical costs or any justifiable losses. Refer any offers you get from insurance companies to your Brentwood truck accident attorney.

Insurance firms may also try to persuade you to discuss the collision. They then manipulate what you say to either reject your claim or make you a pitiful offer that most likely won’t cover your medical bills.

Insurance companies use numerous strategies, but a truck accident attorney in Brentwood knows them. We’ll take them to court if the insurance provider doesn’t pay us fairly.

Always recommend your lawyer to insurance providers. If you still need to choose an attorney, tell the insurance company you will shortly and supply the firm’s contact information.

RECOVERING DAMAGES AFTER A TENNESSEE TRUCK ACCIDENT

The degree of your injuries and whether the defendant acted negligently or excessively negligently will determine how much compensation you are entitled to. Punitive damages and compensatory damages are both recoverable in Tennessee. With an accident involving the trucking companies, they will almost always have a large commercial insurance policy.

The court awards both economic and non-economic compensatory damages. The average car accident settlement is around $20,000, while a truck accident settlement is near $192,000.

ECONOMIC DAMAGES

Economic damages, often known as special damages, have a defined monetary value and consist of the following:

MEDICAL EXPENSES

You should be able to recuperate in a few months if your wounds are not severe. These costs are often included in any settlement or trial award. However, even after a settlement or trial award, you could still need to pay for future medical expenses if you have catastrophic injuries that might negatively impact your life.

Your truck accident attorney in Brentwood will consult with medical experts to estimate the cost of your medical treatment and either include that sum in the personal injury settlement or request it as part of the trial award.

Expenses related to health care include visits to the doctor, procedures, follow-up visits, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological treatment, and cognitive therapy.

They also include improvements to your house, such as enlarged doorways, ramps, and grab bars to make it more accessible and hand controls for your automobiles. A good truck accident lawyer knows how to get this done after commercial truck accidents.

LOST AGES

For the period you were unemployed before a truck accident settlement or trial verdict, you may be able to recover lost income. You might be eligible to receive compensation for lost earning potential if your injuries resulted in long-term or permanent impairments.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

The at-fault motorist is also liable for replacing or repairing any personal property lost or damaged in the collision, including your car and any valuables you may have kept inside, such as clothes, electronics, and mobile phones.

AFTER-DEATH EXPENSES

If a loved one died in a truck accident, you might be able to get money to pay for the funeral, burial, and cremation. You might be reimbursed for probate court filing costs and personal injury lawyers’ expenses.

NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGES

Non-economic losses, often known as general damages, are harder to calculate monetarily and frequently consist of:

●       Pain and suffering, including mental anguish.

●       Inconvenience if you have to pay someone to do your typical tasks, such as food shopping, home repair and maintenance, lawn care, and house cleaning.

●       Loss of quality of life if you must utilize ambulatory aids or take prescription medications for the remainder of your life.

●       Loss of consortium if there is no longer a physical connection between you and your spouse.

●       Loss of companionship if you cannot spend time with your family or participate in family functions.

●       The inability to utilize a physical member, such as a hand or a toe.

●       Loss of the ability to regulate a physical function, such as your ability to urinate, eat, or see.

●       Limb or finger amputation.

●       Excessive deformity or scarring.

PUNITIVE DAMAGES

If the plaintiff can prove that the defendant behaved knowingly or with gross carelessness, the defendant will be ordered to pay punitive damages. The money the defendant pays is a penalty for their deeds or inactions rather than making you whole again.

Courts require severely negligent defendants to compensate you for encouraging the defendant and others to reconsider their conduct before repeating them.

For instance, imagine if a truck driver got behind the wheel after spending four hours drinking at a pub, swerved into you, and threw your vehicle into oncoming traffic. The judge might impose punitive damages if they decide that the truck driver was seriously negligent.

The court hopes that the driver would consider how much money you were compensated the next time he gets wasted and decides to hire a taxi or rideshare instead.

FREE CONSULTATION

TAKING LEGAL ACTION FOR A TRUCK ACCIDENT IN TENNESSEE

You have two years in Tennessee to launch a complaint against the respondent. Even if it looks like a lot of time, it is soon consumed. Following your hiring, we will thoroughly study your case to defend your rights vigorously. That takes time, and so do the truck accident settlement talks.

Additionally, you may need to submit a claim to certain insurance carriers in as short as 14 to 30 days.

In addition, if it is not preserved, evidence vanishes. Evidence that was left at the accident site gets destroyed by weather and traffic. In lockup yards, commercial vehicles are often left unattended. Evidence is destroyed by the elements and workers relocating the cars. Additionally, the defendant has been known to sabotage evidence.

And last, if you go to an attorney straight away rather than wait a few months, you are more likely to recall more about the accident.

AVOIDING TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Even if preventing truck accidents isn’t always feasible, you may lessen their likelihood when a truck or truck driver is driving in a risky manner:

●       Make sure you are aware of the blind areas of the vehicle. Even though a truck driver must inspect their blind spots, it’s best to avoid lingering there.

●       If a tractor-trailer is in the middle or left lane with its right turn signal on, never go into that lane. Trucks must make wide right turns to prevent slamming into signs or people and walking over pavements. The trucker won’t notice you if you move into the right lane after he checks his blind area.

●       Stay far enough back if a truck driver is drifting in and out of her lane so that you won’t be involved in her accident. She could be tired, preoccupied, or exhausted when driving. Call the “How’s my driving?” number on the trailer if it is there and inform the dispatcher of the situation.

●       Always check your rearview mirror before merging in front of a truck to be sure you can see the complete front of the vehicle. You will wind up too near to the car and maybe in its blind zone if you utilize the passenger door mirror.

●       Contrary to popular opinion, truckers’ elevated seats prevent them from seeing everything in front of them. Blind zones right in front of big trucks measure 20 to 30 feet.

●       Never come to an abrupt halt in front of a truck. Stopping an 80,000-pound truck takes far longer for the driver than stopping a car.

FAQS

#1. WHAT DO I RISK BY WAITING TO CONTACT A TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER?

The evidence can only vanish if you speak with a Brentwood truck accident attorney. Evidence that is outdoors might disappear or be destroyed by weather. The defendant may further contend that you are not injured because you did not immediately call a lawyer to begin settlement talks.

#2. HOW DO I DETERMINE WHO’S AT FAULT FOR MY TRUCK ACCIDENT?

Your legal team for the Brentwood truck accident will look into your claim, examining the location of the collision, acquiring the police report, any necessary medical documents, the truck driver’s logbooks, and other data. Several parties may be liable for your losses, depending on the evidence.

#3. MY LOVED ONE DIED IN A TRUCK ACCIDENT. HOW DO I RECOVER COMPENSATION?

To arrange a free case review, get in touch with a truck accident attorney in Brentwood, Tennessee. The attorney and legal team will look into your loved one’s accident to determine your due amount.

If your loved one was injured in an accident and passed away months later, you may still be able to sue the truck driver or trucking business for wrongful death.

#4. WHAT IF THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS DRUNK AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT?

A motorist might be subject to criminal prosecution and other consequences, such as being prohibited from operating a motor vehicle if their blood alcohol content was 0.04 or above at the time of the accident. Depending on the situation, the judge may deem the driver to have been highly negligent or negligent. If you may get punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages, your lawyer will examine the facts and the case.

#5. CAN I SETTLE WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY?

Although you may settle, we only advise consulting a lawyer specializing in truck accidents in Brentwood. Insurance firms will do whatever to avoid paying out a claim or must reject it altogether. Even your own insurance company does not care about your rights.

Insurance companies are more likely to offer you a fair and reasonable settlement when you hire a truck accident lawyer since they know you won’t accept any settlement offer. They know that if they do not provide you with a fair settlement and you have legal representation, you will not hesitate to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Litigation costs money, and the insurance company foots the bill. Insurance companies will do almost everything to avoid a truck accident lawsuit if they know that their client was irresponsible unless they think that their customer wasn’t negligent or that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim.

#6. WHAT CAN I DO IF MULTIPLE CARS WERE INVOLVED IN THE TRUCK ACCIDENT?

It gets more challenging to determine who was at fault when a large truck crashes many automobiles. A Brentwood truck accident attorney might hire an accident investigator to reenact the collision to establish who was responsible for your injuries and other losses.

#7. DO I HAVE TO COME TO THE OFFICE?

No. Although some truck accident law firms may demand it, we don’t. Depending on your preference, we may perform the free case review over the phone or through video chat. To submit papers, we utilize email and other digital channels. We often only meet a customer once that individual comes to pick up their check.

CONTACT AN BRENTWOOD TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER FOR A FREE CASE EVALUATION

Warrior Motor Accident Attorneys have been protecting the legal interests of injured clients for over 20 years. For a free consultation if you were hurt in an Auston truck accident, contact our office immediately!

You will only have to pay us something once we win your case since we accept all truck accident claims on a contingency fee basis. We’re available anytime at 629-257-8558; our lines are staffed around the clock.

CAUSES OF BRENTWOOD, TN TRUCK ACCIDENTS

You sometimes need to have the foresight to concentrate on why a tractor-trailer struck your automobile on a Brentwood road.

Car accidents occur so rapidly that hurt victims cannot explore all possible reasons. The typical justification is often accepted by police officers, witnesses, vehicle operators, and insurance companies. Many significant truck accidents fall neatly into one of these categories—distracted, drunk, speeding, exhausted, or tired—but sometimes the reason is more complex.

Brutal injuries often result from truck accidents. They can inflict unspeakable harm and gruesome damage because of their size, heft, and speed. Private passenger passengers, pedestrians, bikers, and motorcycle riders become susceptible targets when a considerable truck loses control.

In accident scenes, injured people often ride away in an ambulance. They get expensive medical care and therapy. Due to temporary and permanent limitations, they rack up costly medical debt and experience income loss. Those who have suffered the most hardships must cope with the aftereffects of traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other incapacitating disorders.

BRENTWOOD LARGE TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Truck drivers don’t usually cause auto accidents, but they typically do significant damage when they do. Some terrible truck drivers pass the commercial driver licensing procedure despite the strict license standards.

Others pick up terrible driving habits years after obtaining their permit to operate a large truck. Federal and state laws require training and testing for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Transport businesses are required by federal legislation to monitor alcohol and drug usage. Truck drivers continue to cause terrible collisions despite the proper training and oversight.

Data on trucker accidents are tracked annually by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Tennessee’s fatal semi truck accidents are included in their most current statistics:

·         Significant truck-related fatalities per year: 385

·         408 fatalities overall

·         Fifty-six truckers have died in all.

·         65 non-occupant deaths overall (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.)

·         These figures are consistent with national data on fatal truck accidents:

·         Five thousand five fatal car accidents involving heavy trucks in total.

·         occupant deaths in large trucks: 892 3,544 other car passenger fatalities

·         569 deaths not related to motor vehicles

When a truck’s gross vehicle weight rating is 10,000 pounds or above, it is regarded as massive. A trucker is protected by the weight and bulk of a huge truck, which also increases their ability to destroy smaller cars. Statistics constantly demonstrate that heavy truck drivers in collisions have fewer fatal injuries than passengers of smaller vehicles.

Most big vehicles involved in deadly collisions weighed 26,000 pounds or more. Large trucks fall under the “heavy” truck category at this weight. The maximum weight for a large/heavy truck is based on the Department of Transportation of Tennessee’s weight requirements, which is 80,000 pounds GVWR.

THE USUAL CAUSES

When a trucker loses control, his big, heavy truck becomes a mobile weapon. His vehicle substantially weighs a pickup truck or a personal automobile. There is no contest when the two come together at a fast speed.

A truck always has a distinct edge since it weighs far more than a smaller vehicle. Police officers often encounter the same elements while documenting a truck accident scene. According to the NHTSA, dangerous driving practices are to blame for most incidents.

DRINKING AND DRIVING

Only 2% of truck drivers nationally killed in collisions had blood alcohol levels that were unlawful or higher.

08 grams maximum per deciliter. 2 percent is still too much when considering the possibility of harm and loss of control.

Given that it is often discussed throughout a commercial driver’s training and dynamic profession, any alcohol use is unacceptable.

Div. 11, 12, 23152 of the Tennessee Vehicle Laws establishes an exceptional DUI standard for CDL drivers. If a commercial driver’s blood alcohol content is over.04 percent g/dl, they are in violation.

Truckers must be subject to the following alcohol/substance testing under federal laws, Title 49, 382, Controlled Substance and Alcohol Use Testing: pre-employment, post-accident, random, reasonable suspicion, return-to-work, and follow-up after a suspension.

Transport firms must watch for signs of driver intoxication and take the proper disciplinary and rehabilitative measures.

Truck drivers found guilty of driving while intoxicated may face federal and state penalties. Both have a graduated system of liabilities that may include a fine, a license suspension, a jail sentence, and the loss of a CDL.

DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS

After a fatal heavy truck collision, 6.4% of truck drivers tested positive for at least one chemical, according to a countrywide investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (FMCSA). More than 60% of the implicated drivers avoided drug tests.

The six scenarios above about driving while intoxicated require commercial drivers to submit to drug testing, according to the FMCSA. Cannabis, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines/methamphetamines, and PCP are the five specific prohibited drugs that drug tests look for in urine metabolites.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, every individual reacts to substances differently. They cannot assess how and when a medicine affects a person’s ability to drive without defined methods.

As a result, driving under the influence of drugs is illegal in Tennessee. Those who are abusing drugs are not allowed to use motor vehicles.

Anyone who operates a vehicle while impaired by narcotics suffers harsh repercussions. It is forbidden to drive when you’re influenced by alcohol or drugs.

SPEEDING

Driving at a fast rate of speed is risky, particularly for truckers. All drivers have the same problems while speeding. When a speeder runs into danger, stopping takes longer. A vehicle is more challenging to manage at an excessive speed. Additionally, it decreases the efficiency of safety devices and heightens collision damage.

While 26 percent of fatal incidents included speeding, over 50 percent of those involving heavy trucks happened at 55 mph or less.

·         Thirty to fifty miles per hour: 2.5 percent

·         Between 40 and 45 mph: 14 1 4 percent

·         Between 50 and 55 mph, 3.27 percent

·         Between 60 and 65 mph: 20.5 percentage

·         Between 70 and 75 mph: 19.5 percent

The weight and speed of heavy trucks impact a trucker’s ability to turn or stop. Two football fields are needed to halt a massive vehicle that is completely loaded. This distance grows when a trucker runs into problems with the weather, visibility, or pavement.

DISTRACTED DRIVING

Truck drivers continue to place a high focus on avoiding distracted driving. Texting, reading, or using a portable device is illegal for truck drivers under federal law. Although these regulations have been in effect for over a decade, the issue of distracted driving remains.

The NTSB views all electronic gadgets as a significant distraction. Even hands-free technology produces cognitive distractions, according to their research.

They suggest:

The use of any electronic gadget while driving is prohibited by law.

Increased roadside surveillance, enforcement of violations, and adoption of anti-distracted driving regulations restrictions on the use of “infotainment” equipment installed by the manufacturer while driving.

PUBLIC AND FLEET PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE DRIVERS ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING. DROWSY AND FATIGUED DRIVING

According to the NTSB, NHTSA, and other transportation organizations, significant truck accidents involving fatigued drivers are standard. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes difficult to establish after an accident. The issue is related to poor sleep, a lack of drivers, and weariness brought on by lengthy drives for truckers. To avoid these issues, the FMCSA adopted hours of service regulations.

In the past, truckers would submit false paper records to get around the hours of service regulations. Most transport businesses must now install electronic logging devices, per updated laws. These tools automatically keep track of working hours and demand driver certification regularly. A trucker or transport business may modify electronic data in certain situations.

Transport firms can make legal adjustments, but some have altered data inappropriately. Truckers can travel longer than permitted by law because of this illicit behavior. This raises their risk of being overtired and having sleepy driving accidents. Additionally, it hides reliable evidence when an accident happens.

HEALTH ISSUES

According to the NTSB, the aging trucker population has weight and health problems. Among truck drivers, obstructive sleep apnea is a frequent medical condition. It lowers sleep efficiency, heightens weariness, and causes more accidents involving sleepy drivers. Despite having yearly physicals, physicians often fail to diagnose OSA in truckers.

CARGO SECUREMENT

A load shift often causes a tractor-trailer to jackknife, overturn, or slide across a roadway. These mishaps often result from unexpected maneuvers or unforeseen stops made by truck drivers.

Before the trucker makes the delivery, the loading crew should adequately secure the goods, allowing him to make a course correction with little additional trouble. When moving freight starts, the trucker often loses control of his load. The truck frequently causes significant damage and injuries if it flips into or bangs into another neighboring vehicle.

To prevent incidents of this kind, the FMCSA devised Cargo Securement regulations. They provide precise techniques for fastening large equipment, cars, concrete pipe, and other goods to avoid movement that results in accidents.

A CLOSER LOOK AT CAUSATION

Truckers are responsible for accidents for all the reasons mentioned above, but the root of the problem extends beyond just reckless driving. Although the FMCSA‘s Large Truck Crash Causation study was performed more than ten years ago, the research’s insights are still helpful today.

A study group looked at 963 collisions involving 1,123 heavy trucks and 959 passenger cars. There were 249 deaths and 1,654 injuries as a consequence of the incidents under study. Before drawing their judgments, they examined and assessed accident scenes involving automobiles and other physical evidence. They also looked through witness accounts, medical data, and police reports. The one-off study included several elements that the FMCSA determined were typical of numerous truck accidents.

ACCIDENT CAUSATION INVOLVES MORE THAN WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE ACCIDENT

Research by the FMCSA confirmed that “cause” often comprised events in diverse periods before the accident. Sometimes, events like a mechanical issue or poor judgment by the driver come just before a collision.

There were more contributing variables in the minutes, hours, days, and months before the disaster.

·         novice truck drivers

·         inadequate instruction

·         Vehicle issues

·         Road conditions include construction, uneven pavement, etc., signs and signals for traffic

·         there is snow, rain, and fog in the sky.

CRITICAL EVENTS, CRITICAL CAUSES, ASSOCIATED FACTORS

The causal elements were divided into three different groups by the investigation team.

Critical Occasions. While these crucial first moments commonly happen, accidents sometimes result. The something other than study team examined reports and data to establish that truck drivers often engage in typical careless behaviors before an accident.

They went off the road or out of the travel lane and lost control due to speed, weather, shifting load, etc.; they came upon a car in their street that attempted to make a turn at a crossroads and tried to pass across a crosswalk while driving.

Important Causes Critical occurrences are often turned into major accidents by these human elements.

FAILURE TO RESPOND

Accidents only happen when a trucker fails to respond appropriately to critical situations. Sometimes a failure to act results from drinking or using drugs, being ill, or engaging in other actions.

FAILURE TO NOTICE

Distracted, tired, inexperienced, or poorly trained drivers often fail to recognize life-threatening situations.

FAILED DECISION-MAKING

Some motorists need more judgment to recognize an impending emergency. A driver’s capacity to behave evasively is reduced when he misjudges an incident.

INAPPROPRIATE PERFORMANCE

Serious accidents may result from critical circumstances when a trucker is improperly taught, lacks experience, or cannot operate as he should. People who can’t drive safely often get panicked, overreact, underreact, or do nothing at all.

Issues like speed, prescription drug usage, unexpected brake failure, and other arbitrary elements may all be considered associated problems.

DO YOU NEED AN ATTORNEY TO HANDLE YOUR TRUCK ACCIDENT INJURY CLAIM?

Liability and harm considerations are complicated in truck accident lawsuits. Get in touch with a truck accident lawyer to safeguard your rights. Attorneys negotiate on behalf of insurers, at-fault parties, and their personal injury lawyers. They make your claim and attempt to get the most significant settlement possible.

You are not obligated to decide after speaking with a truck accident lawyer. You may discuss your vehicle accident and learn more about your legal alternatives. You choose whether to make a claim or launch a lawsuit when the time is right.