Philadelphia, PA, USA, 08/02/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/
Semi-trucks are essential to our economy. They haul items we use every day, from the food we eat to the material used to build our homes to the gasoline we use in our cars. As important as these commercial trucks are to our lives they also too often cause the loss of lives to others on the road. Philadelphia car accident attorney Rand Spear on a podcast available on YouTube says the harm done by semi-truck accidents can be life changing.
“It’s such an unfortunate thing when you’re involved in an accident with a large truck because usually, the injuries are a lot more significant. Sixty percent of all fatal large truck accidents included a tractor trailer so you really have to be careful when you’re around tractor trailers,” says accident lawyer Spear. He cited 2012 statistics from the federal Department of Transportation.
“The majority of the accidents, 83% of fatal truck accidents and 89% of non-fatal accidents occurred during the week when a lot of trucks are on the road. During the week you need to have a heightened level of caution and just be especially careful because during the week they’re moving around, going to different places and dropping off their loads and you just have to be careful,” Spear says.
Spear suggests drivers be especially careful around tractor trailers and large trucks because,
· Their braking distance is far greater than a passenger vehicle so it’s much more difficult to stop the truck
· Truck drivers may have been driving on the road for an extended period of time so they may be tired and not pay as close attention as they should
“Most of the accidents are caused by driver error. Weather conditions play a role; road surface conditions and lighting could play a factor in an accident. Almost 25% percent of the accidents happen when it’s dark. You really have to be careful in inclement weather and at night time when visibility is restricted,” Spear says.
There’s a greater chance of a fatality when a semi-truck hits a passenger vehicle compared to when the accident involves two passenger vehicles. “Twice as many people died when the truck rear ends a car so that’s what’s especially dangerous. You just have to be very careful and try not let yourself be put in that position,” Spear says.
He says his car accidents law firm has handled many cases involving tractor-trailers. “We just had a recent case where a truck struck our client’s car on the driver’s side. It caused the car to spin around and cause multiple impacts. She had a horrific injury to her heel which was fractured and required extensive surgery. She also had back injuries and we were able to resolve the matter on her behalf for a sum of money that the client was pleased with.”
Spear says truck accident cases require attorneys to pay close attention and put in a lot of work and effort. “Oftentimes we use experts to talk about the vehicle, the tractor trailer, the braking distances and exactly how the accident occurred so that the jury fully understands exactly what happened and who was responsible,” Spear says.
If you or a family member have been injured in a car accident in New Jersey or Pennsylvania involving a semi-truck, contact Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear today at 888-373-4LAW or through his website for a free consultation. You can discuss what happened, how the law may apply and your best options for obtaining compensation.
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