An 18-wheeler is an enormous vehicle that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Due to the sheer size of these trucks, crashes involving them often lead to catastrophic physical injuries, severe psychological injuries and sometimes even death. In all of these cases, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your damages, including past and future medical bills, loss of income, past and future pain and suffering, loss of future earning capacity and disability.
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a trucking accident, it’s important to act quickly. Though taking on a large trucking company can be intimidating, our legal team at Meyers, Flowers, Bruno, McPhedran & Herrmann is here to assist you every step of the way. During your initial evaluation with among the best truck accident lawyers Peru, Ottawa, LaSalle & Princeton have available, we will review your case, offer expert guidance and do everything within our power to ensure you recover the damages you deserve.
Common causes of trucking accidents
Though each case is unique, there are a few very common causes of trucking accidents that we see time and time again. They include:
Truck driver fatigue. There are federal rules regulating the number of hours truck drivers can be behind the wheel. Fatigued drivers who violate these rules are the cause of many catastrophic accidents, because they are more likely to commit driving errors, drift into the wrong lane, run off the road or respond too slowly in a dangerous situation.
Driving while under the influence. In some cases, the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or impaired by illegal or prescription drugs when the crash occurred. In all of these cases, the driver is liable for the disaster he or she created.
Aggressive driving or speeding. Truck drivers who speed, drive aggressively, make offensive gestures or flash their high beams unnecessarily are also known to cause accidents.
Trucking equipment failure. Equipment failure is responsible for a number of trucking accidents and can take many forms, including defective components, brake failure, inadequate maintenance, failure to replace worn parts, overloaded trailers and failure to report worn equipment.
Improperly secured loads. Loading and securing an 18-wheeler requires training and precision. When a driver fails to load or secure the load correctly, it can shift and fall off the truck, creating a road hazard and causing a serious accident.
Identifying the party responsible for your injuries
In addition to being well-versed in the federal regulations that govern the trucking industry, our legal team is also skilled at reconstructing the accident to determine the precise cause of the crash. To that end, we will interview any witnesses, obtain relevant records and consult with experts in various fields. We will review the log books, black boxes, footage from red light and intersection cameras and any other evidence to figure out exactly who is liable for your injuries. Depending on the findings of our investigation, liable individuals may include:
- The truck driver.
- The trucking company.
- The owner of the trailer.
- The shipping company.
- The manufacturer or supplier of the vehicle or vehicle component involved in the accident.
We will get you the compensation you deserve
At Meyers, Flowers, Bruno, McPhedran & Herrmann, we understand that you are trusting us to help you and your family through an immensely difficult period, and we take that trust very seriously. As such, we work tirelessly to resolve your issues and advocate for your interests every step of the way, from pretrial preparations to settlement discussions and ultimately to the courtroom. We take the time to listen to and understand your concerns and unique needs relating to your truck accident, because we know that personal attention is one of the keys necessary to win cases.
Contact us today
It’s important to note that there are time limitations for filing a lawsuit for damages due to a truck accident in Illinois. As such, if you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident, please contact among the best truck accident attorneys Peru, Ottawa, Princeton & LaSalle have to offer at Meyers, Flowers, Bruno, McPhedran & Herrmann to receive answers to your questions and a free and confidential case evaluation.