
El Paso Truck Accident Attorneys
Seeking Compensation for 18-Wheeler Accidents in Texas
Anyone who gets behind the wheel has a responsibility to take reasonable precautions to prevent accidents, but this is especially true in the case of truck drivers. Commercial trucks such as 18-wheelers can legally weight up to 80,000 pounds – as much as 40 times more than a passenger automobile – and are therefore capable of causing devastating damage and catastrophic injuries in an accident.
Truckers who cause crashes due to some type of careless or reckless behavior can – and should – be held responsible for any injuries or losses sustained by victims. The same is true of trucking companies that send out drivers who are poorly trained, or which fail to perform the necessary inspections and maintenance on their vehicles in order to ensure that they are properly loaded and safe to operate.
Common Types of 18-Wheeler Accidents
- Blowout Accidents
- Runaway Truck Accidents
- Distracted Driver Accidents
- Sideswipe Accidents
- Jackknife Accidents
- Tired Driver Accidents
- Rear-End Truck Accidents
- Underride Accidents
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Because truck crashes are often devastating, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities, the government heavily regulates the trucking industry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has numerous rules and regulations that strictly monitor hours and service, maintenance, cargo loading, drug testing, insurance coverage, and licensing.
According to an FMSCA study, the most critical reasons that truck drivers cause accidents include:
- Non-performance. Physical impairment for any reason, such as a heart attack, seizure, or falling asleep.
- Recognition. Inattentive or distracted driving that result in a failure to observe.
- Decision. Poor judgment, such as following other vehicles too closely, driving too fast for road conditions, or miscalculating other drivers’ vehicle speed.
- Performance. Poor control, such as overcompensation, panicking, or bad direction.
The FMCSA also listed these causes for truck accidents, which are in descending order of the most frequent occurrences:
- Brake problems
- Traffic flow interruption (traffic congestion, previous crash)
- Prescription drug use
- Traveling too fast for conditions
- Unfamiliarity with roadway
- Roadway problems
- Required to stop before crash (traffic signal, crosswalk)
- Over-the-counter drug use
- Inadequate surveillance
- Fatigue
If you are seriously injured in a truck crash, an El Paso trucking accident lawyer can investigate for causes, identify sources of compensation, and hold liable parties accountable. At Farah Law, our attorneys have an in-depth knowledge of trucking regulations and have successfully handled truck accident cases for more than 20 years.
