Truck Driver Negligence
More than 90 percent of all traffic accidents are caused, at least in part, by some form of human error. When it comes to truck accidents, one of the primary forms of human error is truck driver negligence, which can specifically occur when:
- Truck drivers operate semis, tractor trailers or other large commercial trucks when under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Truck drivers fail to focus on the road while operating trucks (i.e., when truck drivers are somehow distracted while driving).
- Truck drivers operate trucks without having sufficient sleep or rest (i.e., when truck drivers drive while fatigued).
- Truck drivers fail to properly maintain their trucks and/or overload their trucks (two forms of truck driver negligence that we’ll take a closer look at below).
When any form of truck driver negligence plays a role in causing a traffic accident, those who have been injured in the accident:
- Will likely have a legal claim against the negligent truck driver (and potentially also against the negligent trucking company that employs the driver)
- Can obtain compensation for their losses and injuries by filing a truck accident lawsuit against the negligent parties responsible for the accident.
Truck Accidents Caused by a Failure to Maintain Trucks
By law, truck drivers are required to inspect their trucks before driving them on long hauls and regularly while the truck is being used (for example, at the end of a day of driving or after having driven a specific number of miles). During these inspections, truck drivers should be:
- Checking out a truck’s tires, brakes, signals and other equipment
- Repairing any equipment that is not functioning properly.
If a truck driver fails to conduct such inspections on a truck, fails to notice malfunctioning equipment and/or fails to repair malfunctioning equipment, he can be considered to have been negligent and, as a result, may be held legally liable if such equipment failure causes a truck accident.
Overloaded Truck Accidents
Overloading trucks is another way in which truck drivers may act negligently and, in turn, increase the risk that serious truck accidents occur. Some of the specific reasons that overloaded trucks can be so dangerous are that they:
- Increase the risk that tire blowouts, brake failures or other vehicle equipment malfunctions will occur
- Make it more difficult to stop or maneuver trucks (which can be especially problematic if a truck driver needs to quickly respond to changing road conditions – like an animal in the roadway).
Boulder Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident that may have been caused by truck driver negligence, call the Boulder truck accident lawyer at Cederberg Law at 303-499-0449 or email our firm using the form at the left-hand side of the screen.
Since 2011, our attorney and his legal team have been successful at securing results and compensation for people who have been seriously injured in truck accidents caused by other individuals’ negligence and recklessness.
Having handled countless cases, our attorney has a deep understanding of the law, as well as the legal experience to fiercely defend your rights in any legal setting. This makes our trusted lawyer a formidable force that will not back down until you secure the maximum possible compensation for your injuries, expenses and losses.