Top Five Causes of Truck Accidents

In my experience as a lawyer in Hampton Roads, Virginia (VA) handling trucking collisions, the following is my best estimate as to why wrecks that are the fault of the big rigs happen on our highways:

     1. Careless driving or inattention by the operator of the eighteen-wheeler;

     2. Tractor trailer driver falls asleep or is drowsy;

     3. Poorly maintained semi’s with defective equipment;

     4. Drunk driving or drug use by the truck driver; and

     5. Improper training of commercial motor carrier drivers.

We in Tidewater encounter these large vehicles while driving the roads in cars daily, whether on Interstate 64 (I-64), Interstate 264 (I-264), or Interstate 664 (I-664). Every accident involving a truck is a potential disaster for the person in a car that gets hit. Usually, the person driving the other vehicle does not know why the truck caused an accident. It could be one of these top five reasons given above or other issues like load-shifting, overweight vehicles, or other types of negligence by the truck driver or his company. Whatever the reason, it is critical that someone get out and investigate the cause of the wreck for you, if you are seriously injured in a wreck involving a truck.

You can be sure that the insurance company defending the truck driver and his company will be out at the scene immediately trying to somehow prove that the truck driver and the transportation company he works for was not at fault.

Take a moment to review the truck accident case results section of our firm’s website.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our truck accident case results, our free consumer guide on what to do in case you get involved in an accident with a commercial truck, and also take a moment to view our web site devoted exlusively to Virginia trucking accidents and information. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness. We are ready to talk to you right now and we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition, named Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law  (2009, less than 5% of lawyers are chosen), and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2009). In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a public information service.

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