The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently reported in a study that sleep deprivation plays a role in 30-40% of all truck accidents. The NHTSA reported that sleep deprivation can decrease a trucker’s alertness and ability to react appropriately to changes in traffic. These factors increase the risk of an accident, and thereby, the risk of serious injury to everyone on the road.
The results of the study may seem obvious, but the litigation of truck accidents and proving driver fatigue can be extremely complex. Truck drivers and the companies they work for are required maintain records of their time on the road, and this proof and inferences can be made from the black and white records. Truck accidents often involve multiple parties, complex federal regulations, and other unique factors which require substantial knowledge and skill in handling such a case. You need a team of attorneys who will perform a complete investigation into the truck accident in order to identify all liable parties, gather all of the available evidence, and prove the injuries caused by the negligence of the trucker and the company he works for.
Then, of course, truck accidents are not solely caused by the driver, but often are caused by defective equipment or equipment which has not been maintained as it should be. Your counsel should be prepared to investigate all causes of the accident in order to identify all relevant parties. Did the trucking company purchase defective brakes from the manufacturer? The manufacturer or installer of the brakes may also have liability. This is only one example. Our office is prepared to handle your truck accident case. If you have been injured in a truck accident, do not hesitate to contact our office.