Fairfax Truck Accident Lawyers
As they travel local highways like rt. 236, rt. 123, or I-66, tractor-trailers provide much-needed goods to the people of northern Virginia. A fully-loaded tractor-trailer could weigh over 16 times more than the average passenger vehicle. Even a crash at low speeds could cause fatal injuries and hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.
When a tractor-trailer that is many times longer and over a dozen times heavier than a car is involved in a collision, the car and its passengers are the ones who will suffer the greatest damage in a crash. This is especially alarming if you consider the nationwide truck driver shortage which is a chronic problem in the industry.
Many trucking companies have an ever-increasing number of loads, but not enough drivers to take them on safely. As a result, they push their existing drivers harder and harder.
They provide fewer breaks and days off while demanding more hours each workday. They may hire drivers with minimal or no experience, simply to get drivers behind the wheels of their trucks. All of these factors lead to roads that are dangerous for drivers and passengers alike.
What Causes Truck Collisions in Fairfax?
When you decide to pursue a personal injury claim after a truck accident, figuring out who is at fault is a big part of the process. This means your attorney will need to figure out what the initial cause of the accident was. Some of the most common causes of Fairfax truck accidents include:
- Drivers traveling in a truck’s blind spot
- Drivers running into a truck’s back end
- Drivers swerving in front of trucks and not giving enough space to stop
- Fatigued drivers
- Impaired drivers
- Speeding or otherwise driving recklessly
- Inexperienced truck operators
- Poor weather
- Malfunctioning or overused truck components
Liable Parties in Truck Accidents
Once you know what caused your truck accident, your attorney can start figuring out who is liable for the accident and your injuries. This is one way in which car accidents and truck accidents differ. In a car collision, the liable party is almost always one of the two drivers. There are some cases where a negligent manufacturer or municipality can be blamed, but generally, it comes down to one of the drivers.
In truck collisions, there are far more people involved. This makes it more challenging to determine liability and actually get compensation from the proper party. Possible liable parties include:
- The truck driver if they drove negligently, while fatigued, or while under the influence. However, when a truck driver is responsible for a crash, it is almost always their employer that ends up paying compensation.
- The trucking company if they hired an unsafe driver because they did not properly vet them, forced drivers to work beyond what was legally permissible or safe, or skipped necessary maintenance on the truck to save time.
- The owner of the cargo or the company responsible for loading it if the cargo became unsecured, unbalanced, or otherwise unstable during transit. Cargo must be securely loaded to avoid sliding around, and if the loaders do a poor job, loose cargo can easily cause a serious collision. The risk goes up for drivers who are transporting hazardous materials.
- Truck manufacturer if the truck was made with unsafe parts, designed poorly, or had defects that should have been caught before it went to market.
- Truck repair shop if repairs were done improperly, skipped, or done using unapproved parts.
- Municipality if the crash was a result of unclear signage or poorly maintained roads.
How Our Team Can Help You Fight for Compensation
Truck accident claims often involve substantial compensation, simply because a semi or tractor-trailer can cause such an extraordinary amount of damage. For this reason, trucking companies, truck owners, and cargo companies often have large insurance policies—far larger than those typically given to passenger vehicle drivers. Thanks to larger insurance policies, truck accident victims may be able to recoup full compensation for their losses.
Without a full analysis of your case, it’s impossible to say what types of compensation you may receive and how much you may be able to collect. Compensation is often awarded for:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses if your injuries are severe or permanent
- Lost wages
- Lost future income if you are permanently unable to work as a result of the accident
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
Keep in mind that you will need evidence for every type of compensation you try to collect. If you go to Fairfax Medical Center, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, or CareMed Urgent Care to get checked out after a crash, keep copies of all of your medical bills, tolls paid, parking ramps paid, and other expenses. If you get your car checked out at a local repair shop, provide estimates to your attorney. The more evidence you have, the stronger your claim will likely be.
At Olmstead & Olmstead, we understand how devastating a truck collision can be. In the blink of an eye, your future plans are shattered, and you are looking instead at weeks or months of recovery. We also know how hard insurance companies will fight to avoid paying a fair settlement.
Our attorneys fight aggressively on behalf of every single client to help them get the compensation they deserve. No matter what type of injury you’ve suffered, you deserve to be fairly compensated. When you choose our firm for your personal injury claim, you can feel confident that your case is in safe and competent hands.
Learn More About Your Legal Options with Olmstead & Olmstead
When you’re ready to begin your personal injury claim, we’re ready to help you hold the liable party accountable. Let’s set up a time to talk more about your accident, your injuries, and what your next step should be. Call us at 703-361-1555 or fill out our contact form to get started.
