When you need an attorney to represent you, select a lawyer with tractor-trailer accident litigation experience to represent you.
With semi-trucks responsible for delivering as much as 75 percent of all cargo shipped across the United States, motorists and trucks are forced to share the roadways daily. However, sharing the roadway with such big vehicles poses some unique hazards.
Most semi-trucks in the United States have six to ten wheels, are more than eight feet wide, 13 feet tall, and weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When semi-truck accidents in Indianapolis occur, the results are often fatal. Seeking guidance from the experienced team at Ward & Ward can help ensure your rights are protected and proper measures are taken to achieve just compensation for your losses.
How truck accidents differ from motor vehicle accidents
A semi-truck accident differs from a regular car accident in a number of ways, including:
Size and construction
The sheer difference in size between a semi-truck and a car often means the damage and injuries in a semi-truck accident are much worse. Semi-trucks are more difficult to maneuver, turn, and control meaning even the smallest obstacle in the road or unexpected turn of events can become a potential catastrophe. The way semi-trucks are constructed and operated also creates opportunity for accidents. Trucks have numerous blind spots that increase the chances a truck may run a car off the road. Also trucks require greater stopping distance that leads to dangerous rear-end collisions when a truck is forced to stop short.
Driver conditions
Because semi-truck drivers are under pressure to reach destinations quickly, they often work long hours without proper breaks and become more easily distracted, prone to the influence of drugs and alcohol to stay awake, and more likely to drive while fatigued. All of these factors can contribute to a potential accident.
Trucking laws and regulations
Laws that govern the operation of semi trucks are much more complex than those for motor vehicles, as are the rules surrounding litigation of trucking accidents versus auto accidents. For these reasons, it is extremely important to seek guidance from an experienced lawyer if you are involved in a trucking accident.
Determining fault is often more difficult than in a car accident. A semi truck accident attorney knows liability may fall on a number of different parties and each may have a separate insurance policy. With so many people and companies involved, it pays to have a skilled attorney who knows how to handle properly an investigation and uncover the responsible party.
Handling your Indiana truck accident and injury cases
At Ward & Ward, our semi-truck accident attorneys in Indianapolis, IN have the skills necessary to obtain the compensation you deserve. If you or a loved one is a victim of an accident in the Indianapolis greater metropolitan area or in the state of Indiana, contact Ward & Ward Law Firm to arrange a free consultation with a skilled lawyer today. We are available to speak with you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
