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Speeding Truck Accident Lawyer: Chicago, Illinois
Were you injured in a speeding truck accident, or did you lose a loved one through a wrongful death caused by another's negligence?
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our personal injury attorneys represent truck accident victims to ensure that they and their families receive the maximum compensation they deserve.
Call our truck accident lawyers in Chicago, Illinois at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation today. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
The trucking industry regulations mandate a reasonable speed, according to the posted speed limit, to avoid the likelihood of causing an accident. A large commercial vehicle's sheer size and weight take significantly longer to stop safely than a lighter passenger vehicle.
Unfortunately, truck companies often place significant time constraints that burdens truck drivers to ensure that the cargo arrives on time, even if it requires breaking a few rules and driving longer than allowed every day.
Other times, the truckers are getting paid by the load or mile, earning significantly more than by driving further in a shorter length of time. Because of that, truck drivers regularly engage in highly aggressive driving behaviors, including exceeding the recommended speed limit.
The Speed Where Most Truck Accidents Happen
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 70% of all fatal accidents involving large commercial trucks occur at speeds of 40 mph or less. In addition, these accidents tend to occur more often in urban areas than in rural environments.
About half (47%) of all accident-related deaths involving big rigs occur in rural areas at speeds between 45 and 50 mph. Many of these accidents are avoidable if the truck drivers do not drive so fast on roads riddled with bad driving conditions and hazards.
Many fatal crashes occur because the drivers fail to slow down while negotiating a corner or driving on hilly roads. In addition, truck drivers often travel faster than the posted speed limit on long roads with no traffic lights and stop signs to deliver their loads quicker.
Statistics often show that the drivers were speeding and crossed onto the opposite lane of traffic or merged onto the highway before checking if the roads were clear.
Truck Accidents and Alcohol
Many truck drivers are under a lot of pressure to complete their deliveries on time. As a result, some truck drivers will consume alcoholic beverages to help them relax or feel less nervous about getting behind the wheel. However, driving while drunk can be dangerous.
It increases the chances of an accident occurring and could lead to an injury or death. In addition, most trucking companies have a zero-tolerance policy towards alcohol, yet some drivers continue to drink and drive anyway.
While many state laws require that all commercial motor vehicles install an ignition interlock device in the truck, many drunk drivers find ways around this law.
These devices require drivers to blow into them to start the truck. In addition, the device will prevent the vehicle from starting if the driver has a blood alcohol content (BAC) greater than 0.02%.
Complying With Commercial Vehicle Laws
Truckers must obey all traffic laws just like everyone else on the roadways. On top of that, there are specific state laws that apply to commercial trucks. Most of these laws require drivers to work for a certain number of hours on the road before taking a break and rest for several hours during the day.
Some states also require truckers transporting hazardous materials or oversized loads to take special classes to be licensed and certified to do their job. So, you can expect that if you're involved in a truck accident with a big rig, the commercial vehicle driver should have his paperwork at hand.
Call our speeding truck accident lawyers for more information about personal injury and wrongful death claims related to truck accidents.
Truck Accidents: Truck Collision Statistics
Every year, approximately 4,000 large commercial vehicle collisions occur on Illinois's roadways. Among those accidents, nearly 100 accident-related deaths and over 1,100 injuries are due to truck collisions in Illinois.
In addition, an estimated $155 million is lost each year from productivity that insurance companies must pay to resolve compensation claims.
Safety Is Top Priority of Commercial Truck Drivers
Truck drivers' safety concerns are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, administered by a U.S. Department of Transportation division. The FMCSA has enacted several federal rules that inform truck drivers about their responsibilities in protecting themselves and others on the road.
Moreover, truckers are responsible for maintaining good health and are carefully screened for specific sleep disorders. Following those medical standards stipulated by FMCSA is an essential requirement for commercial drivers working for licensed carriers.
Hiring a Speeding Truck Accident Injury Lawyer
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC assists passenger vehicle motorists who have suffered serious injuries from car accidents with speeding trucks in and around the Chicagoland area and across the United States. Our Illinois truck accident attorneys are ready to move quickly to investigate your case.
Complete our online form to schedule a free consultation with a speeding truck accident lawyer. Let's discuss recovering compensation and legal claims without any cost or obligation to you.
Our law firm offers legal advice in a manner that does not compromise your sensitive information. A truck accident lawyer can provide legal advice and ensure your family receives the financial compensation they deserve.
Truck Accident Victims Injured by Inadequately Trained Truckers
Statistics from the FMSCA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) indicate that driver error and excessive speeding cause most trucking crashes.
Also, improperly maintained commercial vehicles or inadequate training could place truckers in an impossible situation of driving recklessly at high speeds, making up time, and delivering their goods on schedule. Truck drivers' speed when operating their vehicles erratically causes most speeding truck accidents.
Also, poorly maintained commercial vehicles and inadequate training affect truck drivers' safe driving. Similarly, the truck drivers may want to make up for the lost time and deliver goods on time, leading to speeding, resulting in accidents.
Factors to Consider in Collisions Involving Speeding Trucks
Driving recklessly at high speeds is the leading cause of a commercial vehicle accident. However, other serious factors can result in a speeding truck crash.
The common causes of big rig crashes include:
- Truck driver fatigue
- Text messaging
- Phone calls
- Road Conditions
- Jackknife swerves
- Rollovers
- Lack of truck maintenance
- Lane drifting
- Driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages, prescription medications, or illicit drugs
- Load shifting
- Improperly loaded motor vehicles
- Wide-angle turns or curves
Establishing How & Why a Trucking Accident Occurred With a Speeding Vehicle
Truck drivers and trucking companies use tactics to avoid liability. For example, many truckers argue that it was impossible to see a vehicle following too closely behind or that a motorist changed lanes suddenly, resulting in an accident.
Victims suffering severe injuries from a trucking accident must hire a skilled attorney to file a claim or lawsuit against all the responsible parties. Fortunately, an experienced speeding truck accident lawyer specializing in commercial truck accidents can use successful strategies to reconstruct the collision scene.
The attorneys will hire a team of investigators to interview witnesses, collect information, including maintenance schedules, odometer mileage, fuel receipts, and logbooks, along with the truck's black box recorder and GPS data.
All the data, photographic evidence, documentation, and witness testimony is useful to build an effective strategy for obtaining adequate financial compensation in truck collision cases.
Calculating Economic & Non-Economic Losses Related to Injuries Sustained in a Cook County Truck Accident Lawsuit
A commercial vehicle's sheer size and weight in a collision can result in catastrophic injuries to other motorists and passengers. As a result, it often requires the skills of an experienced speeding truck accident lawyer who specializes in personal injury cases to calculate the victim's losses accurately.
A lawyer working on your behalf will hire medical experts to diagnose the extent of your truck accident injuries that might include broken bones, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord damage.
In addition, the lawyer's efforts will ensure that you receive enough compensation to cover various expenses, including:
- Ongoing bills and hospital stays
- Funding for any future physical therapy, rehabilitation, and additional surgeries
- Lost wages due to missed work after the accident
- Property damage caused by a negligent truck driver of a commercial vehicle
- The lost potential of wage earnings in the future due to injury
- Severe & permanent injuries, including brain trauma, spinal cord injury, head or neck injuries
- Pain & suffering
- Funeral and burial costs for the wrongful death of a close relative in an accident with a speeding truck
The compensation for economic damages, which include lost wages, medical and hospital bills, rehabilitative therapy costs, loss of enjoyment in life from a motor vehicle accident, is determined through metrics such as gross income and wage replacement tables.
The amount for non-economic damages is based on how much it would cost to treat the injuries suffered by the victims and possibly reinstate them to their same health condition before the accident.
Determining Damages for a Child Injured in a Truck Accident
Parents of children who suffer injuries from negligent truck drivers or trucking companies can secure compensation for their damages through our attorneys.
For example, was your child injured while at school, on the way to school, or during a sporting event? If so, your family could receive compensation for their medical bills, pain, and emotional anguish.
The amount of money you get in the lawsuit will depend on:
- The child's age
- Accident location (school vs. out-of-state)
- How serious are their injuries?
To assist parents in determining child accident damages, our Chicago truck accident lawyers will use the following general guidelines:
- The extent of a child's injuries determines how much compensation they can receive for each distinct type of loss
- Was there permanent/partial disabilities or serious permanent disfigurement from a truck accident?
In that case, your family should get as much money as possible to safeguard your welfare.
Holding a Speeding Truck Driver Responsible for a Truck Accident Where Speeding Is Involved
Even if the truck driver is at fault, there might be other responsible parties involved. For example, the trucking company may be held accountable like the trucker if the victim's attorney can prove that the truck driver was inadequately trained or that the truck was not properly maintained.
Also, a defective component might result in a truck accident. For example, the crash might be from a defective tire, bad brakes, or another truck component that caused the driver to lose control.
An experienced speeding truck accident lawyer will determine all responsible parties to ensure that every individual and business entity at fault is held accountable for their actions or inactions.
Truck Accidents Statistics
Commercial truck accidents happen fast, and the damage surpasses that of smaller automobile accidents. In addition, people injured when trucks collide often have massive medical bills, lost wages from missed work, pain, and suffering, and require long-term rehabilitation.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Holding Speeding Truck Drivers Accountable
You'll need to protect the recovery of your damages and losses, including medical expenses, from the moment the large truck collides with your vehicle. An experienced personal injury lawyer can investigate what happened, communicate with the other parties, and safeguard your right to sue the insurance company for financial compensation in an Illinois court.
Most trials involving semi-truck accidents take time and money. Our law firm provides our clients with the resources needed to resolve the case.
Our Chicago speeding truck accident lawyers work on contingency so that you or your loved one can focus on getting better. You will only have to pay us if you win the case.
To hear more about how our team of personal injury attorneys and truck accident law firm can better assist you, use our contact form to get in touch with us.
Speeding Truck Accident Injury FAQs
Our law firm understands many families have unanswered questions and have reservations about talking directly to the insurance company for compensation in a truck crash. However, a speeding truck accident lawyer has answered some of those questions below.
Contact our law office at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) for additional information.
Talk to One of Our Personal Injury Attorneys Today
Hiring a speeding truck accident lawyer to handle an injury claim or lawsuit in a speeding truck accident is crucial to its successful resolution. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC offers every potential client a free case evaluation to discuss your legal issue and filing a compensation claim.
The dedicated attorneys will offer numerous legal options for their clients to ensure they receive their deserved financial compensation. Contact us today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form for real-time assistance.
Our law firm accepts all personal injury cases and wrongful death lawsuits through contingency fee agreements. This promise ensures you pay nothing until your legal matter is resolved through a negotiated settlement or jury verdict.