Kentucky Truck Accident Attorneys for Semi & 18-Wheeler Crash Victims

Kentucky had 162,940 commercial trucks registered in the state as of 2015. Professional truck drivers are held to higher standards when it comes to road safety laws because of the potential harm a big rig can cause.

For example, drivers of commercial trucks, tractor-trailers and buses are required to have commercial drivers' licenses (CDLs). And while most drivers can be charged with drunk driving if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher, truck drivers are considered to be breaking the law if their BAC is just .04% or greater.

Despite the fact that commercial truck drivers are expected to be skilled at piloting their large vehicles, truck wrecks happen every day. Tractor-trailer crashes have many different causes, including errors made by truck drivers, disregard for safety by a trucking company and defective truck components such as faulty brakes.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates truck drivers and trucking companies and has analyzed the causes of truck accidents. According to the latest data from the FMCSA, approximately 60 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on rural roads and 25 percent on rural or urban Interstate highways.

The FMCSA indicates that certain types of dangerous driver behavior are among the top causes of accidents. These include:

• Speeding, cited most often for driver-related factors
• Driver inattention, the second most common contributing factor

These are the top driver-contributed factors in truck crashes in Kentucky. The state's Traffic Collision Facts also identify other driver-related accident causes, which include loss of consciousness or fainting, oversteering, the driver becoming ill, physical disability, "emotional," and the driver weaving in traffic.

Driver behavior is not the only reason for these accidents. Sometimes a defect in the vehicle occurs such as a tire blowout or brake failure that leads to a wreck. In fact, in a total of 314 truck accidents in Kentucky, a vehicle problem was a contributing factor to the crash.

Vehicle factors responsible for accidents included problems with securing the load, a load that was too large, tire or brake failure, a defect in the tow hitch that caused the units to separate, a headlight or other lighting defect or steering failure.

Uncovering the cause of the truck accident is very important since the person or company responsible for causing an accident is responsible for the losses suffered in the crash, which is why the aid and counsel of an experienced Kentucky lawyer could be crucial.

It is not unusual for multiple parties to be partly responsible for an accident. This may result in multiple claims. It can lead to the insurers for the various parties pointing fingers at each other to avoid paying a claim.

Our truck accident attorneys in Kentucky have the experience and resources to investigate and identify all the parties potentially liable in a truck crash and pursue claims on your behalf. This may include the:

• Truck driver: There are multiple ways that driver error, negligence or recklessness may contribute to a serious 18-wheeler accident. A truck driver is also required by the FMCSA to inspect his rig and cargo to ensure safety before hitting the road.
• Trucking company: A trucking company is responsible for the activities of its employees, including truckers and others, and for the safety of trucks and cargo they put on the road. Trucking companies must perform regular maintenance on their vehicles to keep them in safe operating condition.
• Cargo handlers: Some trucks are loaded by third parties, who may be liable for accidents caused by shifting cargo or spills that happen because of improper loading or overloading.
• Truck mechanics: Some trucks are maintained by third-party service vendors, who may be held liable if their work contributed to a vehicle problem that caused a crash.
• Manufacturers: If the failure of a component of a large commercial truck (such as tires, brakes, lighting, couplings, etc.) caused an accident, the component manufacturer may be held responsible through a product liability lawsuit.
• Local government and/or contractors: If road design or construction mistakes, or lack of maintenance on a stretch of highway, contributed to a truck crash, a governmental entity responsible for the road and/or contractors it hired may be liable. They may be liable for poorly marked road construction work zones that prove unsafe and contribute to an accident.

Any party whose negligence or recklessness contributed to the accident you were involved in should be held accountable for your costs and losses. Our investigation into your accident may indicate that one or more parties contributed to the crash that injured you, and should, therefore, compensate you.

Accidents involving tractor-trailers and other trucks can cause serious injury or result in death. They are more likely to be fatal because:

• Trucks are much larger than passenger cars: Large trucks are generally defined as those weighing 10,000 pounds or more. However, trucks and tractor-trailers can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds when loaded. Since the average car weighs just between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds, passenger vehicles are significantly outweighed and provide little protection from the impact of a truck crash.
• Trucks are regularly involved in accidents that differ from car wrecks in important ways: For example, trucks have a higher center of gravity and are more likely to roll over than passenger cars. When a truck tips over, other vehicles, motorists, and pedestrians can be crushed. In a rollover, cargo inevitably spills, which causes an additional crash hazard. Trucks can also be involved in jackknife accidents, in which a tractor-trailer's cab and trailer spin out of control independently of each other.
• Truck crashes often occur at high speeds: Trucks often travel on highways and interstates as they move goods across the country. This means they are often traveling at 55 to 70 miles-per-hour. The faster a vehicle is going, the greater the momentum and force of impact, and the more dangerous an accident is.

If you've been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation including:

• Medical expenses, now and in the future. The size and weight of a truck may cause serious injuries. Medical treatment may be a one-time event, or it may continue for years as an accident victim deals with chronic pain or a disabling condition. If you are injured in a truck accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your present and future medical costs.
• Lost income, now and in the future. When you're injured, you can be out of work for days, months, or years. If your injuries prevent you from returning to work, you may be able to recover the income that you lost as a result. An attorney can review your case and help you document how the truck accident injuries have reduced your income and affected your earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering. When you're injured in a truck accident, you may suffer physical and psychological harm. Because of your physical injuries, you may have depression, difficulty sleeping, post-traumatic stress, and psychological issues for years to come. If you have suffered emotional and psychological pain and suffering because of an accident, an attorney can help you document the problems and obtain compensation.
• Punitive damages may be available in special situations. Punitive damages are a special type of damages intended to punish an at-fault party whose conduct is outrageous and grossly negligent or willful. An attorney can review your case and help you understand whether punitive damages are appropriate to seek.