Semi-trucks, also known as big rigs or 18-wheelers, are an essential part of the transportation industry. They play a critical role in moving goods across the country, contributing significantly to economic growth.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Therefore, semi-trucks are intimidating on the highway due to their sheer size and weight. They’re the “big bullies” of the roadway. When accidents involving these massive vehicles occur, they often have disastrous consequences.
Therefore, personal injury claims that involve semi-trucks are usually devastating. Plus, the medical bills are frequently unmanageable. That is why a semi-truck accident is often described as catastrophic.
If you suffered injuries in a crash, contact our truck accident lawyers for a free case evaluation.
A typical semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded – that’s about 20 times heavier than an average passenger car! This significant weight difference means that semi-trucks require more time to accelerate, brake, and maneuver compared to other vehicles on the highway.
This substantial size discrepancy can lead to severe or even fatal injuries when semi-trucks collide with other cars. Imagine the force of a fully loaded big rig crashing into another vehicle – especially at a high rate of speed.
Moreover, the G force in a car is higher as it goes from moving to a complete stop. Therefore, passengers in cars are often killed upon impact or suffer life-shattering injuries.
That is why a semi-truck driver must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) – a license that holds the driver to a higher standard of driving and following the rules of the road.
When involved in a crash with a semi-truck, an injured party often faces unique challenges – challenges that can only be solved when they obtain a lawyer’s help.
Let’s look at some of the obstacles.
Semi-truck accidents often involve multiple parties. These parties may include the truck driver, the trucking company, maintenance providers, or truck part manufacturers. Therefore, it’s important for injured parties to identify all potentially liable parties to maximize compensation for their injuries and other losses.
Given the severity of most semi-truck accidents, plaintiffs in these cases often suffer extensive injuries that require long-term medical treatment, rehabilitation, and even life-long care.
Injured victims may also experience significant wage losses and emotional distress. Therefore, personal injury claims involving semi-trucks often involve higher compensation amounts to account for these substantial damages.
Again,semi-trucks are powerful and big. Therefore, the injuries suffered are usually grave, if not catastrophic. That means you’ll need to fight for higher compensation with respect to medical costs and rehabilitation.
The trucking industry is subject to numerous state and federal regulations designed to ensure the safe operation of commercial trucks. These regulations govern aspects such as driver qualifications, hours of service, and vehicle maintenance.
Attorneys representing injured victims in semi-truck accident cases must be well-versed in these rules so they can build a strong negligence case against the responsible parties.
To establish liability in a personal injury semi-truck claim, it’s essential to gather and preserve relevant evidence like driver logs, electronic control modules (ECMs), “black boxes,” maintenance records, and witness statements.
Our attorneys can secure this evidence, as some records may only be kept for a certain period of time.
Semi-trucks wield immense power on our roadways and play an integral role in our daily lives. However, this power comes with the potential for catastrophic accidents – events that result in severe injuries or fatalities.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, it’s imperative to seek the services of an experienced legal representative – someone who is familiar with the challenges that these types of claims represent.In Nevada, contact Kidwell & Gallagher about your semi-truck personal injury claim right away. The clock is ticking – starting today. You only have two years to file a claim from the date of your injuries.
Craig W. Kidwell is the managing partner of Kidwell & Gallagher, Ltd., and exclusively represents injured workers in Nevada. Mr. Kidwell has been practicing workers’ compensation law in Nevada since 1999 and has acted as lead counsel on over 2,000 contested workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Kidwell represents injured workers in Nevada through all stages of Nevada’s complex worker’s compensation system. Craig regularly appears in all levels of Nevada’s administrative workers’ compensation system and has represented injured workers in Nevada’s districts and Supreme Court.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.