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Tired, Overworked Drivers
Federal regulations limit driving hours, but pressure to meet deadlines often pushes drivers beyond safe limits. Fatigue slows reaction times and impairs judgment as severely as alcohol.
Mechanical Failure or Poor Vehicle Maintenance
Trucking companies must maintain their fleets, but cutting corners on brake inspections, tire replacements, and engine maintenance saves money at the cost of lives.
Traffic Congestion and Tailgating
Heavy trucks need significantly more stopping distance. When drivers follow too closely or fail to adjust their speed to match traffic conditions, rear-end collisions can become catastrophic.
Distracted Driving
Whether checking GPS routes, adjusting radios, or using cell phones illegally, distracted truck drivers can't react to sudden changes in traffic flow.
Unsafe Speed
Speed limits exist for passenger vehicles – large trucks need even more caution. Speeding trucks can't navigate curves safely and become deadly projectiles.
Improper Checking of Mirrors
Massive blind spots require constant vigilance. Failing to check mirrors before making lane changes or turns can cause devastating side-swipe and underride accidents.
Poor Road Conditions and Inclement Weather
Rain, snow, and deteriorating roads demand extra caution from truck drivers. When they fail to slow down or pull over in dangerous conditions, accidents follow.
Drunk Driving
Commercial drivers face a stricter blood alcohol limit of 0.04% while operating a commercial vehicle, which is half the legal limit for other drivers. Yet violations still occur, turning trucks into deadly weapons on our highways.
Drug Use
From illegal stimulants used to stay awake to prescription medications that impair driving, drug use among truck drivers remains a serious safety threat despite mandatory testing requirements.
Stracci Law Group knows truck accident cases inside and out. With decades of experience handling semi-truck, 18-wheeler, and commercial vehicle crashes, we understand how to secure maximum compensation for your injuries.
If you've been injured in a truck accident, call us today for a free consultation. We'll develop a strategy to ensure your medical bills are covered and you're compensated for your pain and suffering.
Types of Truck Accidents We Handle in Lake County
Every truck crash tells a different story of negligence. Whether it's a tired driver jackknifing on I-94, an overloaded semi rolling over on a Crown Point exit ramp, or a poorly maintained rig losing its brakes on I-65, these accidents share one thing: they never should have happened.
Most newer vehicles, including semi-trucks, incorporate "black boxes" that record crucial data about speed, braking, driver hours, and mechanical issues before the crash. Trucking companies hope you don't know this exists – they want quick, cheap settlements before you discover the evidence. We'll demand that accident reconstruction experts analyze the black box data to determine exactly what caused your crash.
- Rollover accidents: Top-heavy trucks tip over during sharp turns or sudden maneuvers, crushing vehicles beneath them.
- Jackknifing: Improper braking causes the trailer to swing sideways, sweeping across multiple lanes of traffic.
- Rear-end collisions: Trucks need 40% more stopping distance than cars. When drivers tailgate, catastrophic rear-end crashes follow.
- Undercarriage collisions: Also called "underride" accidents, these occur when cars become trapped beneath a truck's trailer during lane changes.
- Tire blowout: When an 18-wheeler tire explodes at highway speeds, the driver loses control, often causing multi-vehicle crashes.
- Lost load: Unsecured cargo spilling onto highways, such as I-94 or I-65, creates deadly obstacles and chain-reaction pileups.
- Other types of collisions: From sideswipes to head-on crashes, Stracci Law Group handles every type of truck accident case throughout Lake County.
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Types of Big Rigs Most Commonly Causing Road Collisions
Not all commercial vehicles pose equal risks on Indiana highways. Understanding which trucks are most likely to cause accidents and why helps identify negligent patterns in the trucking industry. From 18-wheelers jackknifing on I-65 to tanker trucks spilling hazardous materials, each vehicle type brings unique dangers that require advanced legal knowledge to address.
Tractor Trailers
Tractor trailers are types of 18-wheelers that have a cab designed to pull an enclosed trailer with cargo; their blind spots are notoriously large.
Flatbed Trucks
A flatbed is a semi-truck with an open trailer rather than an enclosed box. This truck is most commonly used for oddly shaped cargo — anything from vehicles to construction materials.
Garbage, Dump, and Utility Trucks
With limited visibility, huge blind spots, and frequent stops, garbage and utility trucks pose a danger as they carry heavy loads of trash and other materials.
Tankers
Because they often carry hazardous substances like toxic liquids and gasoline that can ignite, a collision with a tanker truck can spell real disaster.
Mail Trucks
Mail delivery truck drivers have to multitask, checking addresses, house numbers, and the road at the same time. It's not uncommon for them to accidentally strike pedestrians and cars in neighborhoods.
The result of a collision is often dependent on the type of truck. Each truck comes with its own hazards, from potentially toxic liquids in a tanker to heavy construction materials on a flatbed.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
There is nothing at all common about trucking accidents (except, perhaps, for how often they occur), nor the injuries that result from them. However, certain injuries in semi-truck accidents occur more frequently due to the nature of these impacts and the dangers that arise when a larger, heavier vehicle strikes a smaller vehicle. Some examples would be:
- Concussions
- Sprained joints
- Bone fractures
- Cuts (also called “lacerations”)
- Bruising (also called “contusions”)
- Back, neck, or spine injuries, including displaced discs, cracked vertebrae, or whiplash
- Muscle pain or strains
- Organ or torso damage
- Internal bleeding
- Skull fractures
- Psychological injuries, like depression, anxiety, or fear of driving
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Catastrophic, systemic injury.
Some severe accidents result in death, devastating the lives of victims' loved ones.
Who Is Responsible for Northwest Indiana Trucking Accidents?
Some assume that only the driver can be held responsible for a trucking accident, but this is a common misconception. Instead, there are a number of parties that are responsible for a truck. Therefore, several parties may be held liable in the event of an accident:
- Truck driver: Because they are in direct control of their vehicle, truck drivers are the first to be considered in a truck accident claim.
- Trucking company: Trucking companies are responsible for the training and oversight of their drivers and can therefore be held accountable for some accidents.
- Truck manufacturer: If the truck was defective in such a way that it led to an accident, the manufacturer can be held responsible.
- Cargo company: If improper loading was the cause of the accident, then the company that loaded the cargo may be held liable.
- Truck owner: If the owner of the truck did not keep it in proper working condition, they may be held responsible.
- Large truck parts manufacturer: Every truck is made up of many different parts, and if one of these crucial parts fails to function properly, the manufacturer may be at fault.
Along with the cause of the crash, we'll also investigate which party or parties may be responsible before we pursue your claim.
How Long Do I Have to File Truck Accident Claims in Northwest Indiana?
The general statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Indiana, including truck accident claims, is typically two years from the date of the incident. This means that you typically have two years after the truck accident to file a lawsuit seeking compensation.
*Note that cases involving the State, the Federal government, and state, local, or Federal agencies have specific, time-sensitive notifications that must be made in a much more compressed timeframe. If you believe you are involved in a case involving one of these entities, be sure to contact an attorney as soon as possible, or you could waive your right to pursue litigation against them.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Trucking Injury Lawsuit?
Truck accidents can impact victims greatly, from financial issues like medical costs and lost earnings to non-economic concerns like pain and decreased quality of life.
You may seek compensation for some or all of the following:
- Medical treatment: Related costs may include hospital stays, surgery, medications, rehab, or physical therapy, along with future medical expenses, as serious injuries like spinal cord trauma can continue to affect you for years to come.
- Lost income: Lost wages are calculated using your income statements.
- Loss of future income: Many aren't able to return to work immediately after a truck accident, and our dedicated attorneys will fight to include lost earnings in your damages.
- Pain and suffering: We'll seek compensation for mental or emotional distress caused by the truck accident, whether due to physical injury or post-traumatic stress.
- Loss of consortium: Marriage is often negatively affected by lasting injuries, and these damages cover loss of love, companionship, care, affection, sexual relations, and more.
- Decline in quality of life: After a bad trucking accident, your quality of life may decrease due to your injuries, and we'll help you seek just compensation for this decline.
During your free consultation, we'll discuss what types of damages you might seek in your specific case.
Why Choose Stracci Law Group for a Truck Accident Claim?
At Stracci Law Group, we understand that being injured in a truck accident is one of the most difficult experiences you'll face. Our approach combines compassionate support with aggressive legal representation to ensure you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
What you can expect from our truck accident attorneys:
- Personalized attention: Every case is unique, and we tailor our approach to your specific injuries and circumstances.
- Aggressive advocacy: While we support you through recovery, we relentlessly pursue trucking companies and their insurers.
- No Upfront costs: You pay nothing unless we win your case.
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