A motor vehicle accident involving a semi truck in Tennessee can be a lot more catastrophic than a collision involving two cars. After all, a typical big rig that is fully loaded can weigh 25 times more than a car. If you have been hurt in a trucking accident caused by the truck driver, you have the right to seek justice in civil court.
Trucking accidents
Statistics reveal that truckers are generally a lot more careful behind the wheel than are car drivers. However, crashes involving large trucks still lead to thousands of injuries and fatalities a year. In some situations, trucks are carrying flammable materials – for instance, industrial waste or gasoline – which can lead to secondary injuries in trucking accidents. Sometimes these types of accidents are the result of the carelessness of passenger cars on the road or unexpected road hazards, but in some situations, the truckers are at fault.
Trucking accident causes
Trucking accidents in which the truck driver is at fault can have multiple causes. For example, sometimes the driver is negligent, which may include tailgating or speeding as well as making traffic maneuvers that are against the law. Other examples of negligence are inattention, pulling out into traffic without looking, fatigue or carelessly changing lanes.
In other cases, the trucker has committed a trucking violation. For instance, he or she has driven too many hours nonstop and has falsified his or her log books to hide this fact. Having an overweight semi truck and not taking the necessary steps to inspect and/or maintain the vehicle may also make the driver liable in an accident case.
Liability also falls under the category of negligent hiring. This includes hiring unqualified or unlicensed drivers as well as not training them or checking their driving and criminal histories before hiring them.
Damages
Following an injury accident caused by a truck driver in the state of Tennessee, you have the right to file a personal injury claim against the driver and his or her employer with the help of a knowledgeable attorney, seeking the reimbursement of monetary damages. Once liability is established before the court hearing your case, claims for monetary damages will be decided. Monetary compensation in a successfully litigated case may help with addressing medical expenses as well as pain and suffering and emotional distress caused by the truck accident.