Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service Rules in Tractor-Trailer Crash Claims When a tractor-trailer crash happens late in a long run, one of the first questions is whether the driver had stayed inside the federal hours-of-service limits. Fatigue leaves little physical trace at a crash scene, so the answer usually comes from records rather than the roadway. A truck accident attorney looking at one of these claims will usually compare the driver's logs with every other record of
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Read more about How Hours of Service Violations Can Shape a Truck Accident ClaimLiability in Commercial Truck Crash Claims Explained A crash involving a tractor-trailer often has more than one responsible party. The driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the company that loaded the cargo and the manufacturer of a defective part can each play a role. Sorting out legal responsibility is one of the first tasks for a tractor-trailer crash lawyer, because each party may carry its own insurance. The driver's conduct Most claims start w
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Read more about Who Can Be Held Responsible for an 18-Wheeler Crash?What to Expect From the Insurance Adjuster After a Car Crash Most people deal with an insurance adjuster long before a lawsuit is even a question. An adjuster evaluates the claim on behalf of the insurance company, and some common practices can lower what a claim is worth if they go unnoticed. Knowing these practices is one reason people speak with an auto accident lawyer before they sign anything. What the adjuster may ask for The other driver's insurer may call with
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Read more about What to Expect From the Insurance Adjuster After a Car CrashQuestions to Ask Before Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer Choosing a truck accident lawyer is a different task from choosing a lawyer for a minor fender bender. Tractor-trailer claims often involve federal safety regulations, electronic evidence and several insurance policies, and the trucking company frequently has lawyers and investigators working on the crash from the first days. The questions below can make a consultation more useful. Start with the license Before me
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Read more about How to Choose a Truck Accident LawyerWho Can Be Held Responsible for a Tractor-Trailer Crash? A crash involving a tractor-trailer often has more than one responsible party. The driver, the trucking company, the trailer owner, the shipper that loaded the freight and the maker of a failed part may all play a role. Working out who is legally responsible is an early task for a truck accident attorney, because each responsible party may have separate insurance. The driver's conduct Most claims start with the
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Read more about Who Is Liable in a Tractor-Trailer Crash?What FMCSA and NHTSA Data Show About Truck Accidents Federal crash data gives a national picture of how often large trucks are involved in serious crashes. The figures below come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and each is labeled with its year. A truck accident attorney may cite figures like these for background, but statistics describe patterns across many crashes rather than what
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Read more about Truck Accident Statistics From FMCSA and NHTSA DataBlack Box (ECM) and ELD Evidence in Tractor-Trailer Crash Claims After a serious tractor-trailer crash, the most detailed account of the final seconds before impact often sits inside the truck itself. People call it the black box, but that label covers several different systems. For an 18-wheeler accident lawyer, knowing which device holds which record shapes the first evidence requests in a claim. What the black box means on a commercial truck Most heavy trucks have
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Read more about Black Box (ECM) and ELD Evidence in Semi-Truck Crash CasesHow Long a Car Accident Claim Takes, Stage by Stage A car accident claim moves through stages that can take months or longer. The property damage part often resolves within weeks, while the injury claim usually waits until treatment has run its course. A car accident attorney can explain where a given claim stands, although no two claims follow the same path. Right after the crash Medical care comes first, even when injuries seem minor at the scene, and records from t
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Read more about How Long an Auto Accident Claim Takes, Stage by Stage