In a recent semi-truck accident class action movement, trucking companies are currently under investigation for allegedly using their own accident investigator to either limit or deny car accident claims. While vehicular accidents are devastating, semi-trucks tend to have high damage and fatality rates due to the sheer size difference between the 18 wheeler and a standard consumer vehicle.

According to legal experts, trucking companies will often offer a quick settlement amount before the victim fully understands how much the 18 wheeler accident damages will truly cost them. In order to fight against this, specialized attorneys are helping 18 wheeler accident victims claim an appropriate settlement amount.

As mentioned before, semi-truck crashes tend to have more fatal consequences than a typical automobile accident. However, it is difficult to truly understand the gravity of the damage unless one experiences an 18 wheeler accident for themselves. To help understand the weight of these consequences, data collected from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and other experts shows that semi-truck accidents are as devastating as they are common.

Despite the overwhelming size difference between semi-trucks and passenger vehicles, it is often hard to determine who or what is truly at fault for the accident. Thee accident could have been caused by weather or the negligent actions of the passenger vehicles, but it could be just as easily the fault of the truck drivers and the companies that employ them.

Trucking companies are very much aware that they could potentially face liability lawsuits if any of their truck drivers is found to be at fault in a collision, which could result in millions of dollars in loss for the companies. For this reason, trucking companies often arm themselves with aggressive attorneys and allegedly biased insurance adjustors in order to cap the amount of compensation the victim receives.

Semi-truck accident lawyers state that oftentimes the semi-truck accident settlements from the trucking company should be bigger, since it is often the trucking company’s employment conditions for their truck drivers that cause these devastating accidents. For example, truck drivers often drive for over eight hours at a time in order to meet the demands of their trucking employers, resulting in sleep deprivation and fatigue.

Overview of 18 Wheeler Accident Statistics

In 2010, there were more than 115,000 semi-truck accidents in roads across America, with 3,285 fatalities and 44,310 injuries. Nearly 70,000 accidents resulted in one or more vehicles being towed. Of the truck accidents reported in 2010, 14% involved the truck drivers with 25% involving the truck’s occupants.

It is important to note that car accidents can happen for an infinite number of reasons, and that this is no different from semi-trucks. The FMCSA also compiled a list of statistics delineating where semi-truck crashes tend to happen.  These statistics can serve as a warning to other drivers to be extra cautious in these conditions if they are in the presence of the an 18 wheeler.

According to the FMCSA:

• About 3% of truck drivers involved in fatal accidents had a blood alcohol level of at least .01.
• More than 30% of fatal 18 wheeler accidents are due to driving error or negligence; most commonly from speeding, distracted while driving, and failing to yield right to other traffic.
• Approximately 14% of large truck crashes were due to poor whether conditions in 2010, with rain being the most common hazard.
• Approximately 87% of fatal 18 wheeler collisions were caused by the truck crossing the center line; only 13% of these crashes had been caused by a passenger vehicle.
• In 2010, 4% of fatal 18 wheeler accidents were caused by rollovers.
• In rear-end accidents, 76% of the were caused by passenger vehicles in 2010; 24% of them had been the fault of the truck driver.

As stated before, there are a number of reasons that a car accident can occur, but experts warn that all drivers should practice safe and defensive driving to reduce the chances of occurrence. Unfortunately, not all vehicle drivers adhere to this warning, leading to this semi-truck accident lawsuit investigation.