Fatal Truck and Bus Accident | Filing an Accident Claim

According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, over 4229 people died in traffic accidents involving large trucks. This figure represents 11% of all fatal automobile accidents in 2008. Another 90,000 people were injured in large truck accidents in 2008. Four hundred twenty-one large truck accidents occurred in Texas. With two each, the District of Columbia and Rhode Island had the fewest fatal large truck accidents in 2008.

Causes of Truck Accidents

Because of their overwhelming size and weight and because they often contain hazardous or flammable materials, truck accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries and death. Most fatalities and injuries are suffered by occupants of passenger vehicles involved in truck car accidents.

Truck accidents occur because of poor driving on the part of both truckers and passenger car drivers. The most common mistakes made by truckers include:

Aggressive driving;
Illegal or unsafe lane changes;
Tailgating;
Speeding;
Overloading or improperly secured loads; and
Careless driving in poor weather conditions.

Other factors which may contribute to large truck accidents are poor maintenance, driver fatigue, amphetamine use by drivers, inadequate driver training, and tire blowouts. All of these factors also contribute to bus accidents.

Many truck accidents are the result of dangerous or negligent passenger car drivers. Among the most common mistakes passenger car drivers make are:

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
Driving while talking on a cell phone or texting;
Driving in a truck's blind spots;
Illegally or unsafely changing lanes;
Maneuvering to the right of a large truck as it begins making a right turn;
Driving between two large trucks;
Improperly merging into traffic in front of a truck;
Abandoning a disabled vehicle in a highway travel lane; and
Failing to move a disabled vehicle completely onto the shoulder.

Who's Responsible

Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, the driver, trucking company, or owner of the trailer may be liable for a car accident injury claim. In some instances, the city, county, or state may be liable if the cause of the accident is determined to be poor road maintenance or hazardous road conditions caused by construction, vegetation or other conditions under the purview of a governmental entity.

What About Bus Accidents?

Bus accidents occur for many of the same reasons that truck accidents do. Other reasons bus accidents occur include:

Frequent and sometimes sudden stops and starts made by buses;
Broken seats;
Bus doors closing on passengers as they board or exit a bus;
Drivers using cell phones while transporting passengers; and
Bus drivers eating while transporting passengers.

Getting Legal Help

Litigating a truck accident claim or a bus accident claim is a very complex and complicated undertaking. Therefore it's imperative to hire an experienced truck accident attorney or bus accident attorney. If you've been injured in a truck or bus accident, having a knowledgeable attorney on your side will significantly improve your chances of being adequately compensated for your injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

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