Trucking accidents often result in injuries and death. They can hurt truck drivers as well as the drivers and passengers of normal vehicles. In fact, the drivers and passengers inside normal vehicle will be severely disadvantaged in any kind of a collision with a big rig due to the size and weight of the semitruck.
Semitruck accidents involve special considerations when compared to normal vehicle accidents. To investigate this topic further, let’s look at three common questions related to semitruck crashes.
How are semitrucks different from normal vehicle accidents?
Semitruck accidents have a higher chance of resulting in catastrophic injuries and death than collisions between normal-sized vehicles. For this reason, state and federal governments have created special safety rules and regulations that apply specifically to semitrucks and their operation. These special rules and other special circumstances may come into play in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits that arise following a semitruck crash.
If a victim suffered an injury as a result of toxic cargo on board a semitruck, will the trucking company be liable?
The liability of the shipper or shipping company when it comes to toxic materials will depend on how the accident happened. If the motor vehicle driver caused the accident — and if the shipper satisfied all safety precautions relating to the toxic materials — then the vehicle driver might be the liable party.
On the other hand, if the shipping company’s failures with regard to safety procedure caused a toxic spill and injuries, or if the truck driver was at fault for the accident, then the shipping company could be liable.
What is the “no-zone” of a semitruck?
The no-zone refers to blind spots in front, behind and to the sides of a semitruck. Basically, drivers should not linger in these areas when they are sharing the road with a big rig. One way to prevent being in the no-zone is to make sure the eyes of the semitruck driver are visible. Even when the eyes are visible, however, drivers should give semitruck operators as much space and leeway as they possibly can.
Learn about your legal rights after a semitruck crash
Every semitruck accident is different. As such, those affected by these accidents — whether they are the truck driver or another driver or passenger — may want to learn about their legal rights regarding the pursuit of financial compensation to pay for medical care and other damages.