Throughout the day, everywhere in the country, there are thousands of different commercial vehicles on the road. Often, these vehicles are large, heavy, or hauling hazardous materials. If you are a commercial driver, then you know how hard it can be to maneuver through streets crowded with passenger vehicles and pedestrians.

As a worker for a company, your employers have an obligation to ensure you are as reasonably safe as possible. However, accidents do happen, and many times, they are due to negligence on someone’s part.

The Problems

There are many different problems that can contribute to the number of commercial vehicle accidents and injuries each year. Some of the most common include:

  • Drivers being asked to work inordinately long hours and therefore drive fatigued.
  • Passenger car drivers who are distracted with cell phones or food, or are driving while intoxicated.
  • Poor maintenance on commercial vehicles.
  • Commercial vehicles that are old, worn, or in disrepair.
  • Malfunctioning parts on commercial vehicles.
  • Reckless or aggressive drivers on the road.
  • Drivers who do not obey traffic signals and signs.

Commercial vehicle accidents often occur because these larger trucks are not as easy to stop or maneuver. Many times, when a small passenger car may be able to avoid a collision, the commercial vehicle will not be able to.

The Statistics

According to the Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the following statistics apply to commercial vehicles:

  • 4,321 large truck fatalities a year.
  • 77,000 commercial driving injuries a year.
  • $287,000 in property damage due to commercial driving accidents a year.
  • The average cost per commercial vehicle driving accidents is $91,112.

Since there are thousands of injuries each year attributed to commercial driving accidents, it becomes all the more imperative for companies and supervisors to take as many steps toward safety possible.

COMMERCIAL DRIVING INJURIES

Commercial vehicle accidents can be very dangerous for everyone involved, who may have been the victim of negligence on someone else’s part. If you have been a workplace victim of an accident while using a commercial vehicle, then you may have an actionable case.

Liability will likely fall on someone, such as the boss who made you work too many hours, the drunk driver who ran the red light in front of you, or the maintenance team that did not properly install tires. In any situation, proving liability will be very important to building a case.

Although the driver of a commercial vehicle may be in a safer situation than drivers in passenger cars, that doesn’t mean they will not suffer from injuries.

There are quite a few common injuries related to commercial vehicle accidents, such as:

  • Broken Bones
  • Cuts, Scrapes, and Bruises
  • Spine or Back Injuries
  • Head and Brain Injuries
  • Loss of Limbs
  • Damage to Vision
  • Disability (Short Term or Long Term)
  • Death

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS YOU CAN TRUST

If you have been injured in an accident, then you could face extensive medical bills that may easily add up into the tens of thousands and you may lose money because you cannot work. Any type of disability even if it is just a few days, can be very costly.

If you are a victim in San Diego, it will be important for you to find an experienced, knowledgeable attorney who will be able to work for you and fight for your rights aggressively. You can contact the truck accident attorneys at Thompson Injury Law and discuss your case. You will be able to get information through a free consultation and then determine how you would like to proceed with your case. Remember that you do not want just any attorney on your case or they may not have the experience for the best possible outcome.