Category : Trucking Accident Injuries

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Truck Accident Incident Checklist

A truck and car accident can be a scary, stressful and potentially life-changing experience. There were 551,164 motor vehicles crashes in Ohio in 2017. Of those crashes, 23,704 involved trucks. Do you know what important things you should focus on in the immediate aftermath of a truck-car crash?

Here are some important reminders about collecting information at the scene after you have determined whether anyone needs medical attention and you have called 911 for assistance.

Critical accident information

  • Contact info for all drivers and witnesses
  • Driver’s license numbers (and expiration dates) for all drivers
  • Insurance policy numbers and insurance company contact info
  • Location of the crash
  • Road and weather conditions
  • Physical conditions and injuries of all drivers
  • Photos and video of the crash scene

An attorney will coordinate a full accident investigation. Accident reconstruction specialists can help determine the cause of the accident by studying various aspects of the accident scene, including:

  • Each vehicle involved
  • Road surface condition
  • Skid and tire marks
  • Witness testimony
  • Crash data recorder or video evidence

Crash report information

Police and Safety personnel will file a Crash Report with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Here are some Crash Report facts:

  • Crash reports and photographs are retained for five years
  • You can Purchase or Retrieve a report
  • Crash photographs purchased online will be either:
    • Placed on a DVD
    • Sent in the mail
    • Downloaded electronically

Other Critical Resources Following Truck Accidents

Do you have questions about Ohio Accident and Injury Laws, Ohio Car Accident Compensation Laws and Pain and Suffering Damages in Ohio? The truck accident attorneys at Contrada & Associates have more than 70 combined years of experience, and in that time, we have seen countless truck and car accident cases that have included:

  • Drunk truck drivers
  • Truck drivers asleep at the wheel
  • Truck tire blowouts
  • Defective truck parts
  • Distracted truck drivers
  • Truck driver working extended hours
  • Truck maneuvering
  • Unsafe roadways
  • Truck speeding

If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident in Northwest Ohio, call Contrada & Associates today at 419.841.4400 or contact us online to set up a free consultation about your case. Our office is in Sylvania, and if you cannot come to us, we can visit your home or hospital room.

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Transportation Safety Board.

Facts on Truck Accident Investigations in Ohio

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute, most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. Trucks weigh 20-30 times more than passenger cars, are taller and have greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles behind lodged under trucks in crashes.

Truck braking capability (loaded tractor-trailers may take 20-40% farther to stop than cars) and truck driver fatigue are known crash risks. Drivers of large trucks are allowed by federal hours-of-service regulations to drive up to 11 hours at a stretch. Surveys indicate many truck drivers violate these regulations and work longer than allowed.

2017 was tragic for crash victims remaining alive after a crash involving a truck.

  • Number of people killed in 2017 from crashes that involved large trucks climbed 116, a 16% increase, to 841 from 725.
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said fatal incidents involving tractor trailers rose 5.8% in 2017 from the previous year.

How Trucking Companies Respond to Truck Accidents

After a truck accident, it is important to determine how the accident happened and who was responsible. Trucking companies send accident investigators to the accident scene. The investigators begin gathering evidence to support the trucking company. Other investigations by the police and sometimes the National Transportation Safety Board Go Team” (which investigates major accidents) are conducted simultaneously.

Determining Responsibility: Driver or Trucking Company?

Generally, a trucking company is responsible for an accident when its employee causes an accident. Some companies enter contracts with private trucking companies for distribution. When an accident occurs in this situation and the truck driver is responsible for the accident, the private trucking company might be liable. Sometimes the truck driver is the owner of the truck.

Trucking companies may be held responsible for an accident when negligence on their part caused or contributed to an accident. Examples of negligence might include:

  • Failure to properly train drivers
  • Truck equipment failures
  • Not enforcing driver rest breaks

When accidents occur, trucking companies can be held responsible for negligence.

Truck Accident Investigations

There are many types of truck accident investigations that happen after a crash. If you plan to file a claim against the truck driver or trucking company, a legal team will obtain copies of these:

  • Police accident report
  • Government agency investigation
  • Trucking company investigation
  • Private investigation
  • Driver logbooks
  • Drug and alcohol test results/citations
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Truck maintenance records
  • Truck inspections/truck registration
  • Driver cell phone records
  • Black box transcripts
  • Weather information
  • Driver employment history
  • Medical reports
  • Police citations
  • Cargo records
  • Truck receipts

Connecting with Veteran Trucking Accident Attorneys

Truck accidents often involve multiple vehicles and drivers from out of state. If you are an out-of-state driver or an Ohio resident involved in a highway crash with an out-of-state driver, you need an attorney who will aggressively represent you and protect your rights. We have the experience you need when you’ve been injured on the Ohio Turnpike or any of Ohio’s roads.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident in Northwest Ohio, call Contrada & Associates today at 419.841.4400 or contact us online to set up a free consultation about your case. Our office is in Sylvania, and if you cannot come to us, we can visit your home or hospital room.

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Transportation Safety Board.

Injured in an Accident with a Semi Truck

Contrada & Associates has handled numerous trucking accidents in the past. From our experience helping trucking accident victims, we can say that these accidents are often very serious. When a semi-truck is involved in an accident with a smaller vehicle such as a compact car, the difference in size and force is massive. This is one of the many reasons why these accidents often result in serious injury or fatality.

Injured in Trucking Accident

When involved in a trucking accident, yourself or your loved one could possibly suffer serious injuries. If the at-fault driver in the accident was the truck driver, then a trucking accident lawyer can help you to pursue a legal case.

Pursing a legal claim following a trucking accident will allow you to receive compensation for the injuries sustained, as well as the other effects of the accident.

Trucking Accident Lawsuit

There are many things that are affected when someone is seriously injured in a trucking accident. First off, the injuries sustained can cause numerous medical expenses in addition to time off of work and lost wages. There are also psychological injuries that often occur, causing emotional injuries that may affect the individual in both the short-term and long-term.

In fact some years ago, personal injury lawyer Charles Contrada was appointed by a Federal judge to be the liaison counsel on behalf of all the injured individuals in a 21-car pileup that was caused by a semi truck here in Toledo, Ohio.

It is important to have a trucking accident lawyer help you with your legal claim because they have experience with the entire legal process. The lawyers at Contrada & Associates work on your behalf to obtain the most favorable settlement. This includes everything from investigating the accident and hiring an accident reconstructionist if necessary, as well as ensuring that all proper documents are retrieved. When it comes to a trucking accident, it is often important to obtain the driving records from the trucking company, the driver’s logbook, as well as other information regarding the driver’s driving history.

If the trucking accident involves multiple vehicles, a trucking accident lawyer will help to ensure that all proper documentation is done and that you ultimately receive a favorable settlement. Without the guidance of an experienced trucking accident lawyer, you could possibly end up not receiving the full amount of compensation that you deserve.

Trucking Accident Lawyers in Toledo

If you or your loved one has been involved in a trucking accident, call Contrada & Associates to speak with a lawyer about your options. Our lawyers offer personalized attention to all of our clients as we believe it is critical for personal injury victims to be fully informed throughout the legal process. Call 419.841.4400 to speak with attorney Charlie Contrada about your legal options.