How is an 18-Wheeler Collision Different from a Car Accident?

This video features John Sloan, a Medical Malpractice attorney based in Texas.

Attorney John Sloan | 888-364-6814 | Free Consult

An 18-wheeler collision is typically far more devastating than an accident involving smaller vehicles.

John Sloan is the founder of Sloan Law Firm based in Longview, Texas, with offices in Houston and Santa Fe. He focuses his practice on truck and auto accidents, defective products, oilfield accidents, brain injury cases, and other fields of personal injury law.

In this Quick Question, he explains how tractor-trailer crashes involve a more experienced legal hand to help the victims in their recovery.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

From 18-wheelers to one-ton pick-up trucks, these vehicles are governed by regulations that do not apply to standard passenger cars.

Semi-trucks and large work vehicles are subject to a variety of different regulations which may not apply to passenger vehicles. This is due to not only the extreme difference in size between these vehicles, but also the type of work these large trucks are intended for with drivers often working under extreme conditions and remaining on the road for long periods of time with minimal breaks.

When a collision happens with an 18-wheeler, the case requires a different method of litigation than in a collision between two passenger vehicles. For example, specific types of evidence exist in these cases including driving logs, maintenance records, and data gathered from tracking tools embedded in the dash of many of these large trucks. In fact, some of these vehicles even have cameras installed on the dashboard to monitor the surroundings as well as the actions of the driver.

However, it can be difficult for a layperson to get their hands on this material, and there is always a risk of evidence being hidden or destroyed when it could incriminate a truck driver or the trucking company. This is why it’s a good idea to involve someone who knows how to handle these companies and obtain the necessary evidence.

It’s important to hire an attorney who is familiar with trucking law and operations.

After finding yourself involved in a collision with a big rig, it’s a good idea to seek legal counsel. The effects of one of these accidents are often far more devastating than in a standard collision between passenger vehicles, resulting in catastrophic injuries and even fatalities. It’s a good idea to contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible after a collision with a large truck, or have a loved one do so on your behalf if you are unable due to your injuries. These trucking companies have their own insurance and legal teams which will arrive at the scene immediately after it occurs to clean up and spin the situation to their advantage.

A lawyer who is familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations will be aware of the laws in place to prevent these collisions from occurring, and will be able to identify if the crash was a result of a violation of these regulations. Additionally, experienced truck accident attorneys will know what to expect from a trucking company’s operations and will be able to predict the ways in which they will likely try to get out of liability for the accident, and will know how to investigate breaches in safety conduct on the part of the driver and the company itself.

To learn more, contact John Sloan directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Video Transcript:

Rob Rosenthal:

How is a collision with a big rig different from one with another car? We ask Texas attorney John Sloan in this AskTheLawyers.com Quick Question.

John Sloan:

The huge difference is that in every commercial motor vehicle case, and that from 18-wheelers on down to one ton, pickup trucks like we see in the oil field, they're governed by regulations that do not apply to passenger cars going up and down the road.

So it's really important that you hire someone that is familiar with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and familiar with truck operations, companies that are supposed to be managing the trucks and the drivers to keep us all safe out on the highways.

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