According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, personal injury lawsuits involving truck accidents are a lot more common than one might think. In 2015, there were 2,646 deaths of passenger vehicle occupants in crashes involving a large truck in the United States. 563 motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians were killed in similar conditions during the same year. If one of your top priorities is always to navigate the roads of San Bernardino County as safely and as securely as possible – as it should be – there are a few key things you need to know about personal injury truck accidents and the lawsuits that may follow.
The Dangers of Truck Accidents
A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also revealed that when a death is involved in a crash with a large truck, the majority of the time the deceased are usually the people who were traveling in smaller vehicles. The major issue is that trucks often weigh between 20 and 30 times more than a passenger car. They’re also taller and have a higher level of ground clearance, meaning that you don’t just have to worry about getting hit head-on – a smaller car under riding a truck in a crash is also a very real concern.
There are many factors that contribute to personal injury truck accidents in San Bernardino County, like how difficult it is for trucks to brake in general. A truck will always travel about 20 to 40 percent farther than a car will to come to a complete stop, something that is complicated by factors like slippery roads and other weather conditions.
Lawsuits involving truck accidents are inherently complicated as you’re not just dealing with another driver and their insurance company – you also have to take into consideration the company that the trucker was driving for, that company’s insurance company and any other entity that may have a stake in what they were hauling in the first place. It’s more difficult than just suing a single person, as essentially all of these parties may have played contributing roles depending on things like policy and jurisdiction. This is why it is always so important to contact a personal injury attorney specializing in truck accidents right away – they can help you untangle this admittedly complicated situation and get to the results you deserve as quickly as possible.
Harshbarger Law
At Harshbarger Law, we understand just how stressful it can be to get into a car accident when the other vehicle happens to weigh several tons. Personal injury lawsuits in general are frustrating, stressful and dangerous – to say nothing of how issues compound themselves in truck accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured by a commercial vehicle in San Bernardino County, or if you’d just like to speak to someone about your own personal situation in more detail, please don’t delay – contact Harshbarger Law today.