There’s no doubt that a truck accident can derail your life as you know it. You can suddenly be hit with extreme physical pain and suffering, be dealt a permanent disability that affects your ability to complete daily tasks, suffer enormous financial damages in the form of medical expenses and lost wages, and be dealt a devastating blow to your emotional wellbeing of the totality of the circumstances.
As a result, you need resources to address your needs, and you need it quickly. The best way to do this is to pursue a personal injury lawsuit in hopes of recovering compensation for your damages. There can be a number of ways to approach a personal injury claim, but with truck accidents powerful evidence can come in the form of violations of federal trucking violations. Here are some common trucking regulation violations that might be at play in your case.
Hours of service violations
Federal regulations limit the number of hours truckers can operate their vehicles. These drivers are even required to take rest breaks at certain intervals to ensure that they aren’t over-tired and fatigued when driving. All too often, though, truckers violate these regulations in order to meet the time deadlines thrust upon them by their employers. By obtaining trucking logs, you might be able to spot hours of service regulation violations that can support a showing of negligence.
Improper maintenance
In order to operate safely, semi-trucks need to be well-kept. Federal regulations recognize this and therefore mandate routine inspections. If inspections aren’t carried out as often as they should be, or if an inspection uncovers a defect that goes unrepaired, then the truck can pose a serious hazard to other motorists. If it results in a truck accident that causes injuries, then the improper maintenance can serve as a basis for a personal injury claim.
Improper use of tie downs
Cargo carrying trucks have to abide by federal regulations when it comes to how that cargo is secured. The exact requirements depend on the length, weight, and type of cargo being hauled. If a truck has too few tie downs or utilizes tie downs that utilize the wrong material, then that cargo is at risk of breaking free and crashing into nearby vehicles. Therefore, a violation of regulations in this area can be evidence that you can use to impose liability on an errant trucker and his or her employer.
Unaddressed medical issues
Federal regulations state that truckers cannot operate their rigs if they suffer from a medical condition that affects their ability to safely drive. If a trucker fails to address a known medical condition, then he or she may directly put others at risk. Untreated sleep apnea is a perfect example. This condition causes breathing disruptions up to 400 times a night, which causes an individual to wake up each time. If left untreated, it can lead to extreme tiredness and fatigue.
Support for your personal injury claim
These are just a few of the many trucking regulations that when violated can cause serious safety concerns for motorists. They can also strongly support your personal injury claim, which could lead to the recovery of the compensation you need to appropriately address your damages. Proving a federal trucking violation isn’t always easy, though, and can be aggressively defended against by truckers, their insurers, and truck companies.
Therefore, if you want to increase your chances of succeeding on your claim, then you might want to think about discussing your case with an experienced attorney. By doing so, you might be able to engage in the thorough preparation, such as extensive discovery, that is often necessary to successfully set your case up for negotiations and trial.