Practice Areas

• Car & Motorcycle Accidents
• Crashes Caused by Trucks
• Medical Malpractice/ Doctor Mistakes
• Railroad Injury/ FELA
• Brain Damage/ Head Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Slips, Trips & Falls
• Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
• Dangerous Drugs/ Product Recalls
• All Serious Injuries

HSInjury Blog

Crashes Caused by Trucks

• Livestock Truck Accidents Cause Serious Injuries, Death
• Two Tires Fly off Tractor-Trailer Truck Striking Three Vehicles near Havelock, North Carolina
• Unsafe Lane Change Causes Tractor-trailer to Injure Car's Driver

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Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer

• Safety Put at Risk Due to Air Traffic Control Complacency

Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

• Johnson & Johnson Internal Documents Reveal Unsavory and Potentially Illegal Marketing of Risperdal

Northeast NC Personal Injury Lawyer

• Are You a Victim of a Slip, Trip and Fall Accident?

Firm News

• Attorney Discusses a Truck Wreck in Culpepper Due to Black Ice
  Posted on 2/10/2010
• Attorney Discusses Truck Accidents in Winter Snowstorms
  Posted on 2/8/2010
• Law Firm Publishes New Consumer Guide on How to Handle a Truck Wreck
  Posted on 1/29/2010
• Attorney Examines New Texting Ban on Commercial Truckers
  Posted on 1/26/2010
• Attorney Examines Trucker's Request for Greater Schedule Flexibility
  Posted on 1/25/2010

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Library

Crashes Caused by Trucks

• This page provides information about the complexity of trucking insurance and how it differs from regular car insurance. After you've had a chance to review this page, please take a look at our other articles, blogs, videos, and consumer guides on trucking topics.
• Here are some results from our truck accident cases. After you've taken a look, please give us a call at 1-800-752-0042 for a free case analysis.
• Car and Truck Accidents/Personal Injury Law in West Virginia (WV)

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Car and Truck Accidents/Personal Injury Law in North Carolina (NC)

On the surface, car and truck accidental injuries might seem similar. Another driver makes a mistake, there's a squeal of breaks and shattering glass, and in mere seconds you are left shocked, confused, and suffering from personal injuries. It shouldn't matter when it comes to my case, you might think, whether a truck or any other vehicle/car/SUV caused the accident and personal injuries. Here are just a few ways in which a truck accident is different from a car accident:

1. Trucks (sometimes called "big rigs," semi's, 18 wheelers, or tractor-trailers) weigh considerably more than cars, and can therefore cause considerably more damage, and more serious personal injuries or deaths. While the average American car weighs just over 4,000 pounds, a fully loaded commercial tractor-trailer can weight up to 80,000 pounds. This means that they are harder to slow down, harder to control, and make a much bigger impact when they crash. You are more likely to become seriously injured or die in a truck-related collision.

2. Trucks are not driven by private individuals, but rather by employees. This makes it much more difficult to ascertain who was liable for the accident and whose insurance company should cover the damages. Often one company will hire the driver, another company will own the cab, and a third company will own the trailer and contents. Figuring out whose actions are to blame and who should compensate is very muddled and complicated. Commercial semis are like small rolling businesses - and it can be much harder to go into a legal battle with a company than with an individual.

3. Trucks have large blind spots that can cause serious accidents when the vehicles are turning, backing up, or changing lanes.

4. Trucker and truck operators are subject to a number of strict state and federal regulations. Trucks must be inspected frequently since truck brakes wear out quickly and other mechanical malfunctions are common. Truckers must keep detailed logs and cannot drive for long stretches of time. If you have a knowledgably attorney, you can use this information and evidence to you advantage.

5. Given their occupation, big rig and semi drivers are susceptible to fatigue, prescription drug use, non-prescription drug use, carelessness, and reckless driving. Truck driving can be a high-pressure job with tight deadlines, and the cost of those pressures is often accidents and injuries'

North Carolina (NC): Summary and Facts

With beautiful beaches, mountains, and plains, there is something for everyone in North Carolina (NC). The state is a perfect blend of "just rights" - the temperature is mild but not especially humid. The state has many of its old traditions, such as furniture making and tobacco farms, but also has reached into the future with its new finance and technology centers. Tourist can enjoy whitewater rafting, eclectic nightlife, scenic drives, beach house stays, hunting, golf, and kayaking. More than that, they can take advantage of a number of historical sites, as well as all of the southern hospitality of the area.

Capitol: Raleigh. Other major cities: Asheville, Cary, Charlotte, Durham, Fayetteville, Gastonia, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, High Point, Jacksonville, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem.

Population: North Carolina (NC) has a population of over 8,850,000, with a healthy growth rate of 10 percent over the last six years.

State Slogan: First In Flight

History: One of the earliest places in America to be colonized, North Carolina (NC) was populated by English colonists sent by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585. The settlement of Roanoke Island was not a success. The first permanent settlers were not installed until almost 80 years later. Though North Carolina (NC) played a small role in the American Revolution, it had a bigger part in the Civil War, where it was pressured to join the Confederacy despite its slightly Northern leaning concerning banning slavery and other Union ideas. Today, North Carolina (NC) is a rich mix of agriculture, manufacturing, and technology industries.

Climate: Located on the Atlantic Coast, the shores of North Carolina (NC) are kept mild in the winter and warm in the summer - summertime highs in the beach hover around 90 degrees while wintertime lows rarely go below the freezing point. The coastal plain rarely sees more than an inch of snow a year. Moving inland, the seasons are more defined, with temperatures fluctuating more and with sleet and freezing rain much more common. In the mountains cooler weather can be found due to altitude, with 20 inches of snowfall per year and summers with temperatures in the 70s. Across the state severe weather is rare, with a mild mix of tropical storms, thunderstorms, and a rare hurricane.
The major interstate highways in North Carolina (NC) include I-26, I-40, I-85, I-74, I-73, I-77, I-85, and I-95.

Interstate 26 is a major southeastern roadway that runs diagonally northwest to southeast. It travels through North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), and Tennessee. The highway enters North Carolina (NC) at Polk County and passes through Columbus, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Fletcher, Arden, and Asheville. It includes the Peter Cuice Memorial Bridge, which passes over the Green River.

Interstate 40 -the Eastern terminus is in Wilmington, while in the west it ends at the Tennessee state line. Since the vast majority of the highway is in North Carolina (NC), and since it connects the Big Four sports universities in the area, it is often called "Tobacco Road." I-40 runs through Knoxville, TN, Asheville, Hickory, Statesville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Burlington, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Benson, and Wilmington.

Interstate 85 crosses North Carolina (NC) for 233 miles from South Carolina (SC) to North Carolina (NC). It is the second longest interstate in North Carolina (NC), next to Interstate 40. I-85 passes the major cities of Gastonia, Charlotte, Concord, Kannapolis, Salisbury, Lexington, Thomasville, Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, and Henderson.

Interstate 73 Although called an interstate, I-73 is wholly contained in the state of North Carolina (NC). It is a newer freeway that is not yet complete - in the future, it will run from South Carolina (SC) to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. Currently, though, only pieces of the road exist in Candor, Ulah, Greensboro, and Ellerbe. The most used part is the Greensboro Urban loop.

Interstate 74 Like I-73, I-74 is not yet completed and only exists in several disconnected pieces of road. Currently, I-74 runs from Davenport, Iowa, to Cincinnati, Ohio, and also contains several floating pieces in North Carolina (NC). One piece runs from I-77 to US 53 south of Mount Airy. Another is an overlap of I-73 and US 220 from Asheboro to Candor. A third and final segment exists in the south of the state from Laurinburg to NC 710 near Pembroke.

Interstate 77 is considered the best north-south highways for crossing the Appalachian Mountains. At its northern end, the road ends in Cleveland when it junctions with I-90. At its southern end, its terminus is in South Carolina (SC). In North Carolina (NC), the road comes up through downtown Charlotte followed by Lake Norman, Hutersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville. Finally, it intersects I-40 and I-74 before leaving the state.

Interstate 95 is the major north-south thruway on the east coast, running from Maine to Florida. In North Carolina (NC), it runs from Rowland to Roanoke Rapids in the eastern third of the state. Highway 301 runs parallel to I-95, which also passes through Lumberton, Fayetteville, Benson, and Rocky Mount.

The Counties of North Carolina (NC)

Alamance County, Alexander County, Alleghany County, Anson County, Ashe County, Avery County, Beaufort County, Bertie County, Bladen County, Brunswick County, Buncombe County, Burke County, Cabarrus County, Caldwell County, Camden County, Carteret County, Caswell County, Catawba County, Chatham County, Cherokee County, Chowan County, Clay County, Cleveland County, Columbus County, Craven County, Cumberland County, Currituck County, Dare County, Davidson County, Davie County, Duplin County, Durham County, Edgecombe County, Forsyth County, Franklin County, Gaston County, Gates County, Graham County, Granville County, Greene County, Guilford County, Halifax County, Harnett County, Haywood County, Henderson County, Hertford County, Hoke County, Hyde County, Iredell County, Jackson County, Johnston County, Jones County, Lee County, Lenoir County, Lincoln County, Macon County, Madison County, Martin County, McDowell County, Mecklenburg County, Mitchell County, Montgomery County, Moore County, Nash County, New Hanover County, Northampton County, Onslow County, Orange County, Pamlico County, Pasquotank County, Pender County, Perquimans County, Person County, Pitt County, Polk County, Randolph County, Richmond County, Robeson County, Rockingham County, Rowan County, Rutherford County, Sampson County, Stanly County, Stokes County, Surry County, Swain County, Transylvania County, Tyrrell County, Union County, Vance County, Wake County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Wilkes County, Wilson County, Yadkin County, Yancey County

The Law Firm of Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is made up of a team of experienced personal injury attorneys and investigators that understand the complexities of a truck accidental injury case and that can use those complexities to your advantage.

There are many, many accident injury lawyers who say they are able to help your case - but do they have the specific expertise of truck accidents that we pride ourselves on? Do they have our winning record and access to multiple experts on the subject? We have specific truck and big rig experience with proven results. Don't take your truck and car accident to just any accident lawyer.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving a commercial truck, 18-wheeler, or tractor trailer, contact our offices today for a free legal consultation today.

Truck Accident Resource Websites

American Trucking Associations
The ATA represents the trucking industry on a national scale. Their website includes a list of safety hot topics, safety publications, safety statistics, and safety committees.

Truck Safety Coalition
This is a coalition between the Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) Foundation and Parents Against Tired truckers (PATT). It offers truck safety issues, facts and figures, the latest news, and a related newsletter.

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
CVSA is a not-for-profit organization that promotes commercial truck safety and security. Their website shares news, events, committees, and members information as well as tips and advice on how truck drivers can reduce accident rates.

Institute of Drive Behavior
This site is a collection of safety videos for truck drivers - both new and experienced - aimed at reducing and preventing accidents.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The NHTSA is a government-run website that offers the public the latest news, research, and safety advice in relation to car and truck accident prevention.

FMCSA's Share the Road Safely Program
This website is run by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and strives to minimize the number of car and truck crashes through educating all drivers and, in the case of accidents that do happen, to minimize the consequences of such collisions.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Since 1947, this non-profit organization has funded over 170 research projects designed to discover the causes of traffic accidents. The website includes traffic safety news, research results, and much more.

US Department of Transportation
The website itself will inform the reader of the latest news, research, tips, programs, and statistics generated by the government agency.

National Safety Council
This is the nation's leading resource on the development of strategies for advancing safety programs and practices. Their website offers statistics, tips, advice, news, and information related to car and truck accidents.

Insurance Information Institute
This website answers many frequently asked questions concerning car and truck crashes. Learn about choosing the right insurance coverage, filing a claim, and how the entire insurance process works.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety & Highway Loss Data Institute
While IIHS conducts research into the three factors in motor vehicle crashes (humans, their vehicles, and the environment), HLDI publishes insurance loss statistics on cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycle models common in the United States.

American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
The website includes a knowledge center, news outlet, and training opportunities.

FMCSA Analysis and Information Online
This website is a vital resource for those seeking track accident statistics.

Learn More About Car and Truck Accidents in South Carolina (SC)

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

How should you locate the best, top injury lawyer for your case?

Our Injury Lawyers Have Been Selected For Many Achievements Outlined Below:

Several  Injury Attorneys With Our Firm have been Named As Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law  (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009 Ed.)(Less than 5% of Outstanding Lawyers are Chosen); also selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009); named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by ATLA (Shapiro - 2009), and our law firm was the first Injury Law Firm in Virginia Invited to Join Primerus, a select group of Highly Ethical, Respected Law Firms .

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained, what was then, the largest record verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person (46 Million Dollar Verdict, with Interest, 60 Million Dollars, Settled confidentially during appeal).  Click on any icon for more details.

 

 

 

Geographical Areas:

Our personal injury lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern USA, and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.

As to Virginia (VA), this includes: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond (entire area), Petersburg, Roanoke/Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, all areas of the Eastern Shore, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, and Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague, and Wallops Island, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and any other city/ounty.

As to West Virginia (WV) personal injury claims: Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling, and any other town or county.

Injury Lawyers licensed in VA, WV, NC, SC, KY & Wash., DC.

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Case Results

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.

Crashes Caused by Trucks

• MACK truck-trailer-wreck/leg fractures
• Truck-Train crossing collision-back injuries
• Automobile Accident Causing Coma and Paralysis

Awarded: Counsel settled with the motorist's insurer, and then with two additional underinsurance carriers for a total settlement of $600,000 which constituted all available insurance.

• Collision Between Two Big Rigs Creates Fireball

Awarded: Case settled at mediation for $450,000.00, from the parked truck’s insurance, plus additional monies and concessions from the client’s workers’ compensation insurer

• Virginia Automobile Accident

Awarded: The case was settled for $350,000.00 without the necessity of a trial.

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FAQs

Crashes Caused by Trucks

• A big rig went out of control on the road, caused a major accident, and I was injured. Can I recover against the driver of the big rig?
  
  
• How much time does it take to resolve a truck accident case? Do most cases settle or go to trial?
• How much time do I have after a trucking accident to file a lawsuit?
• Are there different rules that apply to accidents involving commercial trucks?
• Is the law applying to a car and truck wreck case different from a car injury case and how?

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InjuryBoard Resources

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