Motor vehicle accidents involving large semi-trucks can be devastating and fatal.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, one in 10 highway deaths occurs due to a truck accident. Unfortunately, many of these deaths may have been avoidable.

Although semi-trucks provide essential services for transportation and industry needs, their size and weight cause them to pose a serious risk to drivers and passengers.

Trucks may weigh up to 30 times as much as a passenger vehicle, making their impact more deadly and causing difficulties with suddenly stopping. Additionally, the vehicles’ height may make it possible for them to run over smaller cars.

For passengers involved in a truck accident, injuries and deaths can lead to medical expenses, lost wages, permanent disability, and more. Luckily, compensation may be available if the injured parties obtain the help of a Nashville injury lawyer.

Liability in Truck Accidents

In a truck accident, parties can be held liable under Tennessee personal injury laws if they are shown to be negligent.

Negligence is defined as “conduct departed from what an ordinary reasonable person would have done in similar circumstances.”

A truck accident may be caused by negligence for a variety of reasons including:

• Use of drugs or alcohol: The use of these substances while driving is illegal for a reason, as they can impair judgment and reaction time–leading to fatal crashes.
• Violations of trucking regulations: Truck drivers are required to adhere to regulations regarding driving time and more. Failure to follow these regulations not only is illegal but also may impair a truck driver’s ability to drive safely, putting themselves and others at risk.
• Unsecured loads: if a driver’s load is unsecured, it may be at risk for falling off the truck or causing the truck to move unexpectedly. Either of these situations could lead to a crash.
• Speeding and other violations of traffic laws: Speeding is an obvious cause of accidents, but failure to stop for traffic signals or failure to adhere to other traffic laws may also put other drivers at risk.
• Texting while driving: Failure to watch the road while driving due to texting may cause accidents, especially if road conditions change suddenly due to weather or traffic.
• Distracted driving: Similar to texting while driving, any manner of distracted driving may count as negligence.

Finding a Truck Accident Lawyer in Nashville

When finding a truck accident lawyer in Nashville, consumers should consider attorney experience. Although many may assume that car accident litigation is similar to truck accident litigation, this could not be further from the truth.

The trucking industry is held to a higher standard than other drivers, so many regulations may play a role in seeking compensation. Additionally, several parties are usually held responsible for an accident – the driver, the trucking company, and, in some cases, the insurance company.

Finding a Nashville injury attorney with experience in truck accident litigation can be vital to the success of any personal injury claim.