Approximately 9 million trucks travel the roads, highways, and streets of the United States every year.  The trucking industry that profits from these trucks includes about 110,000 for-hire carriers and 350,000 independent owner-operators with combined annual revenue of nearly $200 billion.  The trucking industry combined with other commercial vehicles are a dominant part of the United State economy and are necessary for many of our modern conveniences, but are also responsible for many of the fatal and catastrophic injury automobile accidents that occur on our highways and roads.  Approximately, 4000 people are killed in fatal trucking accidents each year and approximately 80,000 more people suffer serious life altering injuries.

This Truck Accident and Commercial Vehicle Information Center discusses some key issues regarding interstate truck accidents and commercial vehicle collisions.  This information is not intended as specific legal advice on a specific case.  For legal advice regarding a specific accident claim, contact Jason S. Coomer or another experienced truck collision commercial vehicle lawyer.

Dangers of Interstate Trucks, Commercial Trucks, and Company Vehicles and the Need for Safe Operation of Large Vehicles

Unfortunately, with large trucks and commercial vehicles driving on our roads and highways comes the potential of fatal accidents and catastrophic damages.  Untrained, overworked, or inexperienced  drivers all too often lose control of their vehicles causing them to jackknife, overturn, or collide with and smash passenger vehicles.  Many of these truck drivers and commercial vehicle drivers are overworked, on caffeine or other drugs, and are rushing to meet a deadline.  These factors are extremely problematic when these drivers are driving vehicles that weigh many tons and collide with smaller vehicles.  When this happens, it is typically the passengers of the smaller vehicle that are killed or suffer catastrophic injuries.

Truck drivers, commercial vehicle drivers, and the companies they work for have a duty to operate their vehicles in a safe manner, but unfortunately sometimes saving money on maintenance, training, safety, or staff as well as making more money by speeding to make deadlines are more important to trucking companies, delivery drivers, and truck drivers. Unsafe driving, oversized or unsecured loads, and various other careless factors put the public and the truck operators in danger.  Some of these factors include:

• Unqualified drivers who have a history of reckless driving or accidents

• The driver rushing to meet a tight delivery deadline

• The driver is on drugs or has been drinking

• The driver is fatigued and tired due to driving for long periods

• The driver is stressed and not paying attention to other drivers

• Difficult to see blind spots from a large truck

• The driver does not leave enough space between vehicles

• Improper truck maintenance (defective brakes or tires)

• Improper securing of loads

• Under trained drivers

• Mechanical failure and defective components

• Overloading of the truck

For more information on Trucking Safety and the Dangers of Trucking that can result in a fatal truck collision or catastrophic injury commercial vehicle accident, please go to the following Trucking Safety web page.

Truck Collisions and Commercial Vehicle Accidents are Often Caused by Violations of the FMCSA and Trucking Companies Trying to Save Money at the Expense of Safety

Many truck and commercial vehicle accidents are caused by trucking companies and/or drivers sacrificing safety to make more money.  From poor maintenance of trucks to overworked and under trained drivers, cutting corners and committing FMCSA violations can lead to devastating fatal and catastrophic injury trucking accidents. 

For more information on FMCSA Violations relating to a fatal truck collision or catastrophic injury commercial vehicle accident, please go to the following FMCSA Violation web page.

Investigating Truck Collisions and Commercial Vehicle Accidents Typically Requires Preservation of Evidence and Discovery Requests for Important Records

Investigating a truck collision or commercial vehicle accident usually requires preserving evidence and seeking records from the trucking company, truck driver, and insurance company to determine what caused the accident.  Unfortunately, it is typically necessary to file a law suit to obtain these documents through discovery.

For more information on preservation of evidence and obtaining important records & evidence relating to a fatal truck collision or catastrophic injury commercial vehicle accident, please go to the following Accident Investigation web page.

The Main Goal for Most Insurance Adjusters, Defense Lawyers, and Risk Managers that handle Commercial Truck Wreck Claims is to Save Their Insurance Company, Trucking Company, or Delivery Company Money

In handling Truck Wreck Lawsuits, it is important to realize that multiple insurance companies and risk management departments may be involved in evaluating an automobile accident claim. Both insurance companies and risk management departments have professionals whose jobs are to limit the amount that their insurance company or risk management department pays on any claim regardless of the liability facts or damages. It is therefore important to make sure that if you are in a serious truck wreck or have lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident, to have an experienced truck accident lawyer to handle these adjusters and trucking company defense lawyers.

Adjusters, risk managers, and defense lawyers at insurance companies and risk management departments are often the professionals that make the decisions on what will be paid for truck accident compensation on a claim prior to a lawsuit going to trial. These professionals will often spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to avoid paying a claim.

For more information on commercial vehicle insurance, interstate truck insurance, and dealing with insurance adjusters, risk managers, and defense lawyers, please go to the following Commercial Vehicle Insurance web page.

Obtaining Compensation and Protecting Victim from Insurance Adjusters, Defense Lawyers, and Risk Managers

People that have been injured in a truck accident or families that have lost loved ones in commercial vehicle collisions often need help in seeking just compensation and protection from insurance adjusters, risk managers, corporate trucking attorneys, and defense lawyers.  Typically, these people need to heal and grieve from the commercial truck accident instead of battle the agents of delivery companies, trucking companies, and insurance companies that are trying to protect their profit margins. 

In handling Interstate Truck Accident Lawsuits, Attorney Jason Coomer knows that Semi Truck and Commercial trucks are governed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and must carry liability insurance for accidents that result in bodily injury or death, while each state requires minimum liability coverage for commercial vehicles not regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In these Interstate Truck Collision Claims, he locates all known insurance on each automobile involved in the collision to maximize the recovery that is made for the injured person or the family of the deceased.

In locating insurance and all potential sources of recovery, it is important to review all potential parties that be liable for the accident to determine their insurance and or their ability to pay a large verdict. If you or someone in your household has been in an accident with a commercial vehicle, you have probably already been contacted by at least one commercial truck insurance adjuster. Hopefully, it is not too late to heed this advice, but do not communicate with the adjuster or risk manager without speaking to an experienced commercial truck collision lawyer.

If you have not retained a lawyer, tell the insurance representative that you are in the process of retaining a lawyer, take down their name address and telephone number, then politely tell them that the lawyer will contact them and politely hang up. If you have retained a truck accident lawyer, give the insurance company representative the phone number of the law firm and no other information, then politely hang up. Most people do not realize that even a friendly conversation with an insurance representative can be used against them and many conversations are recorded. Further, some adjusters make oral promises and representations that they never intend to keep. Remember that insurance representatives are trained to get information from you that the insurance company can use in its favor.

Your insurance company may also be involved through several different types of insurance coverage. However, it is a good idea not give anyone a recorded statement or sign anything until you have spoken with a truck accident lawyer.

For more information on commercial vehicle insurance, interstate truck insurance, and dealing with insurance adjusters, risk managers, and defense lawyers, please go to the following Commercial Vehicle Insurance web page.

Interstate Trucks, Commercial Trucks, and Company Vehicles are Causing Fatal Accidents

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, thousands of motorists are killed each year by large commercial trucks and company vehicles. The large commercial trucks include 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, semis and other vehicles that weigh several tons.  The company vehicles include company vans, passenger vans, tanker trucks, gas trucks, utility trucks, garbage trucks, cement mixers, dump trucks, cherry pickers, SUVs, taxi cabs, limos, and other specialized customized vehicles. 

Since trucking deregulation in Texas and the passage of NAFTA, you can see thousands of large interstate trucks barreling up and down Texas highways including I-35, I-10, I-20, and other interstate highways.  These trucks come from Mexico, Canada, Texas, and several other states carrying large loads and traveling at high rates of speed.  It is estimated that interstate trucks account for about 10 percent of all fatal vehicle accidents in the United States. Almost 10% of fatal trucking accidents in the United States occurred in the state of Texas on Texas roads.  Interstate truck accidents and commercial vehicle collisions have an increased chance of causing serious injuries and death because of the size and weight of commercial trucks and truck drivers have limited visibility and maneuverability as well as limited control of their vehicle.  This makes it easier for inexperienced and over worked truck drivers to lose control and crush other vehicles. These factors greatly contribute to the damage done to passenger vehicles in trucking accidents. Whether the truck driver is distracted, falls asleep at the wheel or just isn't paying attention, accidents caused by large commercial vehicles kill or catastrophically injure thousands of motorists each year.

Truck Accident Lawyer, Catastrophic Injury Accidents, and Fatal Collision Accidents 

If you have suffered catastrophic injuries in a commercial vehicle of accident or have had a loved one killed in a commercial vehicle accident, it is important to make sure that a thorough investigation of the fatal accident or catastrophic injury accident is done; that all available insurance and potential sources of recovery are located; and that insurance adjusters, risk managers, and defense lawyers are not able to take advantage of the injured or grieving.  It is also typically a good idea to obtain excellent legal representation from an experienced truck accident investigation lawyer to protect you or your loved one's rights and to make sure that an investigation as to the cause of the collision is done correctly and any potential recoveries are properly pursued.