Large commercial trucks are more dangerous and difficult to operate safely than passenger vehicles. Under-experienced truck drivers are more likely to cause devastating truck accidents. When a trucking company hires a driver whose inexperience causes a truck accident, the injured victim may have a right to pursue damages from the truck driver and trucking company.
At Ceja Law Firm PLLC, our attorneys have years of experience handling commercial truck accident cases. After a truck accident, trucking companies and their insurers may try everything possible to avoid paying victims what they deserve. Our experienced litigators know how to hold truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for the cost of their clients’ injuries.
The Dangers of Inexperienced Truck Drivers
For the safety of everyone on the road, it’s crucial that truck drivers have enough experience to operate heavy vehicles. Commercial trucks are exponentially heavier than smaller passenger vehicles. It also takes longer for a commercial truck to come to a complete stop than other vehicles. Inexperienced drivers may not begin stopping in time to come to a complete stop and avoid a collision. They may not know they should start braking well ahead of red lights or stop traffic.
Large trucks also have huge blind spots, and it’s relatively easy for a truck driver who isn’t paying attention to sideswipe a passenger vehicle. Inexperienced drivers don’t know how to safely maneuver their trucks around sharp turns, through traffic and highways, and in emergencies.
Inexperience Is a Predictor for Truck Accidents
A recent study by the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence found that a truck driver’s experience is a greater predictor of being involved in a truck accident than a driver’s age. For example, a younger truck driver with more commercial driving experience would have a similar crash risk to an older driver with less experience.
The study also found that age can factor into a driver’s accident risk when the driver is inexperienced. An inexperienced 55-year-old driver is more likely to be involved in a truck accident than an inexperienced 25-year-old. Ultimately, the study found that inexperience increased the crash risk of truck drivers across all age groups.
Common Causes of Inexperienced Driver Truck Accidents
Some of the most catastrophic truck accidents involve passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. There is no competition in a collision with a commercial truck. Due to their heavy size and weight, the smaller vehicle’s occupants often sustain more severe injuries than the truck driver. Some of the most common errors causing truck accidents include the following:
- Fatigued driving
- Failure to yield the right away
- Distracted driving
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Taking turns too quickly
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to check for blind spots
- Failure to load cargo onto a trailer correctly
- Speeding
- Failure to safely avoid road debris
Recovering Compensation After a Truck Accident
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be wondering how to go about pursuing compensation. Two main avenues for recovering compensation are filing an insurance claim and pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. Most trucking companies carry commercial insurance policies. Victims have a legal right to file an insurance claim with the at-fault truck driver’s insurance provider.
Commercial insurance companies have significant resources and teams of attorneys and investigators working to avoid paying victims the compensation they deserve. They may send an investigator to the scene of the accident. Working with a skilled attorney can help you level the playing field.
The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm PLLC have extensive experience negotiating with insurance adjusters to pursue the total and fair amount of compensation our clients deserve. We will handle all aspects of your claim and communicate with the insurance company so you can recover from your injuries. As the victim of an inexperienced driver truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial losses. Losses you can seek include the following:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of income
- Loss of future earnings
- Mental anguish
- Physical impairment
- Car repair expenses
- Pain and suffering
Proving Liability
In order to recover compensation after a truck accident, you will need to prove liability. Under Texas law, when a driver’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional behavior causes an accident, victims who become injured in accidents can hold the at-fault party liable for their injuries. Several parties may be liable in an accident caused by inexperienced truck drivers. The truck driver can be held liable when his or her negligence caused the accident. Many truck drivers do not have sufficient assets to compensate victims for their injuries.
Additionally, the trucking company may be vicariously liable for the negligent actions of their truck driver. When a trucking company hires a truck driver with little experience or training, and the driver causes an accident due to a lack of training, the trucking company can be held liable. At Ceja Law Firm PLLC, we will investigate the accident to determine which party or parties are liable for your injuries. We will obtain all relevant evidence proving who was at fault, which may include the following:
- Police report
- Evidence related to the hiring practices of the trucking company
- The truck driver’s licensing, training, and employment history
- Evidence of the accident scene, including photos
- Video surveillance of the truck accident
- Eyewitness statements
- Black box evidence
- Video surveillance of the collision
Discuss Your Case with a Skilled Truck Accident Attorney in Houston
Truck accidents generally cause more severe injuries than accidents involving two smaller vehicles. When trucking companies hire inexperienced drivers because they’re understaffed or to save money, victims can hold them accountable by pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. If you or your loved one have been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. Don’t hesitate to contact Ceja Law Firm PLLC to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation.
