Vehicle accidents are scary no matter what type of vehicle is involved, but when a large truck is part of an accident, the potential for major damage and injuries is significantly increased.
When we say “large truck,” we are talking about what is typically classified as a heavy truck, one weighing more than 10,000 pounds. Often, these are commercial vehicles. If you’ve been involved in an accident with one of these vehicles, you may need a truck accident lawyer. At the Dan Doyle Law Group, our experienced attorneys can help you through this situation.
You see these large trucks all the time, though you may not pay much attention to them. In fact, most people only focus on them long enough to steer clear of them on the roadway. While most of these vehicles are safe and driven by professionals, sometimes accidents happen that are due to someone else’s negligence.
In this state, a driver must obtain their commercial driver’s license to operate a heavy truck and often must pass safety courses depending on which company they are driving for. The trucks themselves are supposed to undergo regular maintenance inspections to ensure they are safe on the roadway.
If those inspections don’t take place or are skipped to save money, major accidents can happen on the roadway. In Pennsylvania, vehicle failure caused many of the heavy truck crashes in 2017. Whether it was due to wheel or tire failure, brake failure, or power train failure, many of those accidents could have been prevented.
Sometimes, a driver is impaired or distracted while operating a large truck. Their behavior puts people on the road at risk. When a heavy truck crashes, it has the potential to cause a mass casualty incident due to its weight and size. Out of the nearly 7,000 heavy truck crashes in Pennsylvania last year, 145 were fatal and there were many more people injured.
Most of the time these large trucks are safe and their drivers are responsible, but when that is not the case, you will have many questions that need answers.
If you’ve been in an accident involving a truck, whether through a direct impact or another vehicle nearby, take care of yourself and your loved ones first. Call the police so a report can be made and keep all documents involving the accident.
After that, you may need a Norristown truck accident attorney. The Dan Doyle Law Group has experienced and knowledgeable attorneys that are standing by to help you answer your questions. We will help handle insurance claims and any other liability issues that may have been caused due to negligence on the truck driver or owner’s part.
You can contact us by clicking here or calling 215-987-3730 for a free consultation.
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