Roadway accidents happen each minute throughout the country. Semi-trucks make up a total of just over 36,500 accidents, according to a 2019 study. Out of all these accidents involving semi-trucks, just over 4,100 of them resulted in one or more fatalities. This equates to about 11 percent of all roadway fatalities each year.

Why Are Semi-Truck Accidents So Dangerous?

Any personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can tell you how dangerous semi-truck accidents are. Those who are in automobiles, motorcycles, SUVs, or trucks are at a major disadvantage when it comes to being involved in a semi-truck crash. Los Angeles truck accident attorneys usually let the statistics speak for themselves.

In all roadway truck fatality accidents, a whopping 97 percent of the fatalities were drivers of the passenger vehicle. Any truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles knows that a semi-truck usually weighs 40 tons or more. This weight is significant compared to a passenger vehicle that weighs around one ton.

What Are The Main Causes For Semi-Truck Accidents?

Any truck accident attorney Los Angeles will reveal that the largest cause of semi-truck accidents is mechanical failure. However, there are sometimes when human factors are responsible for accidents. When this happens, the factors include speeding, driving tired, using controlled substances, improper maintenance, and lacking proper training.

What Should You Do If You’re Involved In A Semi-Truck Accident?

Any personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can walk you through the steps you’ll need to take after an accident with a semi-truck. It’s very important that you get an accident report, talk with potential witnesses, and keep scrupulous records about your medical bills and treatments.

It’s always best to contact your truck accident lawyer Los Angeles right after the accident happens. This way, they can take your statement and start to collect necessary evidence about the incident. The longer you wait to contact Los Angeles truck accident attorneys, the less evidence will remain for them to obtain to support your case.

How Is Fault Decided In Semi-Truck Accidents?

The fault for a roadway accident is typically brought before a jury. They can place all or part of the fault on the various drivers involved. In most cases, the jury will pick a percentage of fault that each driver had in the accident. Your truck accident attorney Los Angeles can better assist you with what to expect in terms of deciding fault for the accident.

When it comes to compensation, the amount tends to be larger in accidents that involve semi-trucks than accidents that don’t. This is due to two major differences. First, the injuries tend to be more severe in semi-truck accidents than other vehicle accidents. This results in higher medical bills, lost wages, and so forth.

Second, these types of accidents are more disastrous for the vehicle involved. In most cases, a vehicle will be completely demolished and needs to be replaced. Very rarely are cars deemed fixable by insurance providers when they’re involved in an accident with a semi-truck.