A complete and thorough investigation should be conducted shortly after an accident to determine the cause of the accident. Negligence or a defective product may have been the proximate cause of the collision. In any event, you are entitled to seek the truth and have your case heard by a jury or judge. In Arizona, the parties can agree to have the matter heard by a judge in a more expeditious and inexpensive manner.
Truck Accident Statistics
In 2005, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) disclosed that there were over 5,000 fatalities involving the use of commercial trucks. You should be ready to file a claim after a trucking accident, given the great number of accidents caused by trucks and the severe injuries that are commonly suffered after one of these accidents.
If you have been injured after one of these victims, you deserve to have your rights protected.
Truck Inspections and Highway Safety
Trucks must be inspected regularly and must adhere to the FMCSA standards. The drivers must also be regularly supervised and certified so that safe road can be assured for the general public.
Truck Insurance
Unlike passenger vehicles in Arizona, that require minimum insurance coverage of $15,000 to $30,000 for any bodily injury, commercial trucks must carry at least a minimum of $750,000 in insurance for any bodily injury that may occur on the road. It is essential to verify insurance coverage in these trucks after an accident because sometimes the owner may lease the truck, and the lessor may not carry the insurance mandated by the law.
Trucking Company and Truck Driver Regulations
Regulations set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration standardize the use and maintenance of commercial trucks. These truck regulations include the use of controls and displays, starter interlocks, windshield defrosting and defogging systems, hydraulic and electric brake systems, and trailer load-carrying capacity.
Further, truck drivers must comply with rules regarding receipts and bills, the transportation of household goods in interstate commerce, controlled substances and alcohol use and testing, commercial driver’s license standards, and other employee safety and health standards.
The regulations are extensive, and the breach of any of these rules may cause an accident and severe injuries or loss of life.
Seriously Injured in a Truck Accident?
You need to pursue legal action within the statute of limitations and gather all the necessary information quickly before you lose valuable evidence in your case. The preservation of evidence is needed so that you are able to present all the correct and relevant information at court. The attorneys at Schenk Podolsky are highly qualified to handle trucking accident claims and lawsuits—contact us today to pursue your legal claim.
If you have suffered a severe injury, or if a loved one has lost his or her life, as a result of a trucking accident, please contact our law firm. We can understand the scale of these cases, and we know how to properly conduct truck accident investigations through experts to prosecute your claim.
We have a commitment to excellent personal service and to helping victims of truck accidents involving serious injury, or wrongful death, and will diligently pursue your claim.
