Accidents involving semi trucks happen often on the highways. These types of crashes are often fatal due to the size of the vehicles involved as well as high speeds. A semi truck is often 20 times the size of an average passenger car, so when the two vehicles collide, the results are often serious and even fatal.
Because of the severity of these crashes, police officers often perform a thorough investigation immediately following the accident. This investigation may take hours to complete as authorities talk to those involved, get statements of witnesses, determine the severity of the damage, determine the injuries involved and assess the truck’s condition. Then cleanup crews remove the vehicles from the scene so that traffic flow can resume.
An investigation is important so that the authorities can create a police report for the injured parties. With this report, they can file a claim with their insurance company and even sue for damages.
Investigation is Key
A thorough investigation is often done when an accident results in serious injuries or death. The police will investigate to see if the crash was the result of a crime. Some examples would be speeding, substance use, mechanical violations and hours of service violations. A crash causing a death could be charged as a homicide if an hours of service violation led to the truck driver’s fatigue.
Independent crash reconstruction specialists are often hired to determine liability when an accident victim files a claim. These experts will review the details of the case and examine the black box. This black box contains information about speed, braking and other controls to determine if the crash was caused by human error or a mechanical issue. The crash reconstruction specialists will also see if the accident was caused by cargo issues, which are common in large trucks.
Why are Truck Accidents So Complex?
Truck accidents are complex due to liability issues. Unlike a car accident—which is often caused by one of the drivers—there are a number of entities that could be liable for a truck accident. Not only could the truck driver be at fault, but so could the trucking company or cargo company. If the accident was caused by a defective product, the manufacturer of the truck or truck part could also be held liable.
In many cases, multiple parties are at fault for truck accidents. That’s why investigations and reconstructions are necessary. The victim can receive compensation from all liable parties, which is why these cases are so complex.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Truck accidents can be very complex. Many entities can be held liable, so determining the cause of the accident is important. If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a truck accident, it’s important to take swift legal action.
Let the Miami truck accident lawyers at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP help you with your case. We have the tools and knowledge to help you achieve a favorable outcome. Contact us today at 305-371-2692 to schedule your free consultation.