Commercial trucking is a major industry in the United States. It generates an annual revenue of $650 billion, which accounts for 5 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.

With so many commercial trucks on the road it shouldn’t be surprising that commercial truck accidents are fairly common. Determining fault and liability in commercial truck accidents can be a complicated process.

Personal injury attorneys are looking for potential plaintiffs to help navigate the process.

The trucking industry has a massive workforce. Over 750,000 tractor-trailer drivers and 50,000 small truck and delivery drivers are employed by trucking companies across the country. Statistics suggest that more than 3 million 18-wheeler trucks operate in the United States, traveling over 93 billion miles annually.

Loaded commercial trucks can weigh more than 80,000 pounds. Small and midsize consumer cars generally weigh less than 5,000 pounds. This huge difference in size and weight between commercial trucks and consumer cars creates a scary picture for many commercial truck accidents.

The Department of Transportation reports that each year approximately 500,000 commercial truck accidents occur. About 5,000 of these accidents result in fatalities. The victims who die in these accidents are often not the truck drivers, but the drivers and passengers in the smaller consumer vehicles.

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

Commercial truck accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. A study performed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that 88 percent of commercial truck accidents were the result of drivers’ error or omission.

The study also revealed that 45 percent of truck drivers involved in commercial truck accidents were taking over the counter prescription medications, 18 percent involved were tired or fatigued, and 23 percent of truck drivers involved were found to have been traveling too fast for the road conditions.

Commercial truck accidents may be caused by the commercial truck driver’s negligence, trucking company negligence, and/or third party negligence.

Commercial truck driver negligence may involve driver error, fatigue, aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, or speeding. Examples of trucking company negligence include improper truck maintenance, inadequate inspections, imposing unreasonable deadlines on drivers, and improperly loading trucks. Negligence on behalf of third parties may include defective parts such as brakes, tires, and computer systems.

Commercial Truck Accident Lawsuits

When commercial truck accidents occur, the trucking companies often bring in accident investigators and insurance adjusters to build a defense against the victim or limit their claim. One strategy used by trucking companies is to offer victims a quick settlement before the victim has time to realize the full extent of their damages. Commercial truck accident attorneys can help victims navigate the process, determine fault, and accurately summarize the total extent of damages.

Settlements and awards from commercial truck accident lawsuits can help victims pay both past and future medical bills and compensate them for the pain and suffering the endured because of the accident. These lawsuits are usually brought by the victims themselves or by family members who lost loved ones due to the accidents.