Eighteen wheeler accident statistics show the shocking commonality of these events, some of which end up in emotional lawsuits.

Accidents involving semi trucks can quickly become deadly due to the sheer size of the vehicles. When these massive trucks hit smaller passenger vehicles, the 18 wheelers often do not take as much damage. Instead, the damage is done to smaller vehicles and their passengers.

According to 18 wheeler accident statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), large truck accidents are involved in thousands of fatal crashes every year. In 2016, 4,213 large trucks were reportedly involved in fatal accidents, 55,633 were involved in injury crashes, and 99,911 were involved in tow away crashes.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute, a group that provides 18 wheeler accident statistics, corroborates these figures and notes that large truck accidents make up a significant number of passenger vehicle fatalities each year. The institute states that “twelve percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths and 22 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2017 occurred in crashes with large trucks.”

After an 18 wheeler accident, some victims may take legal action to seek compensation for injuries, property damage, and wrongful death due to driver negligence. Plaintiffs Joshua H., Ashley H., Brandon H., and Taylor W. are a group of victims that took legal action after a semi truck accident killed Janice H., a mother and wife.

In November 2016, Muhidin M. was reportedly driving behind Janice on IH-30 in Hunt County, Texas. Janice allegedly began to slow down due to traffic ahead of her, but Muhidin was reportedly driving in a distracted manner and did not see her slow. This allegedly resulted in a high speed crash.

The force of the crash reportedly caused Janice to run into the car in front of her. She was allegedly pushed into the right shoulder while spinning counter clockwise, reportedly causing “multiple blunt force injuries and trauma”. Once in the shoulder, Janice’s SUV reportedly caught on fire with her still inside. She died at the scene.

Janice’s family argues that Muhidin was driving negligently and was distracted, which lead to the fatal accident.

“[Muhidin] admitted to being distracted by his GPS before the collision, and his inattention, following too closely, and failure to control his speed caused the high-speed crash with [Janice’s] SUV,” the family’s lawsuit claims. “[Muhidin] received two citations of criminally negligent homicide and failure to control speed.”

Additionally, the driver allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he had not applied the brakes before the accident.

An inspection of the 18 wheeler following the accident allegedly showed that Muhidin’s brakes were out of adjustment, “indicating that the 18-wheeler was unsafe and illegal to be driven on the roads and highways”.

The grieving family aims to hold the driver, Muhidin, liable in addition to other liable parties, including Amer Trucking, Gama Trade, Evans Transportation Services, and SAF-Holland. The family’s lawsuit seeks damages for mental anguish, grief, bereavement, and loss of companionship, society, love, and affection.

The Semi Truck Lawsuit is Case No. 4:19-cv-00705 in the District Court of Harris County, Texas.