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VA & NC Trucking Accident Law
Truckers and trucking companies provide important services, transporting food and other essential products across the country to where they are needed. But the same large trucks that keep store shelves stocked can also do tremendous damage in an accident.
Some accidents are unavoidable. Unfortunately, many others are caused by negligence: a trucker or trucking company does something they shouldn’t, or fails to do something they should. And in an instant, lives are changed forever.
Causes of Trucking Accidents
Because of the potential of severe harm from trucking accidents, the trucking industry is subject to many state and federal laws designed to help keep people safe. If a trucker or trucking company violates one of these laws, and someone is injured or killed, the responsible party is liable for the harm.
Some common causes of avoidable trucking accidents include
Defective Trucking Equipment
Before and after a run, truck drivers are required by law to inspect their equipment, including:
- Service brakes
- Steering mechanism
- Tires
- Mirrors
- Lights and reflectors
- Parking brake
- Windshield wipers
- Horn
- Coupling devices
Drivers must file an inspection report following each and every trip, and the trucking company is required to fix any reported defects. If a driver fails to properly inspect the truck or to report defects, or the company fails to address problems, that negligence could lead to a serious accident.
Insufficient Driver Training
Driving an 18-wheeler can be a good-paying job, but it is not an easy one. Because of the demanding nature of the work, companies may cut corners when training drivers in order to get them on the road sooner. Any untrained driver is a hazard on the road, but a poorly-trained driver of a semi-truck can be especially lethal, simply because of the size and weight of the vehicle.
Driver Fatigue
Unfortunately, there are significant incentives for drivers to continue driving even when they are too fatigued to safely do so. If a company pays a driver by the mile or by the load, a driver may be motivated to drive too long or too fast.
Federal law limits driving and on-duty time for truck drivers, and drivers must keep logbooks to show that they are in compliance with the law. Unfortunately, some drivers falsify logs to reflect compliance that didn’t happen, due to a desire to get home faster, or because of direct or indirect pressure from the trucking company.
Helping You Get the Compensation You Deserve
If you or a loved one were injured in a trucking accident, you already know the devastation these accidents can cause. If the trucker or trucking company was at fault for the accident, you may be entitled to payment for your injuries. Unfortunately, you only have a limited time to make a claim, and the legal process can be overwhelming, especially when your focus should be on healing.
The right legal help is essential to getting the compensation you deserve. Attorney Charlene Morring can make sure you have experienced legal representation to hold the trucker or trucking company responsible, and get the money you need to get your life back on track.
Morring Law PLLC is based in Norfolk, Virginia, and helps North Carolina and Virginia clients with trucking accident claims in those states. For a free consultation to talk about how we might be able to help you, please contact our law office. We look forward to working with you.