Richmond Truck Accident Lawyers
Trucks
are not cars, and it's important to note that truck
accident cases vary from car accident cases in important
ways, and that makes them far more complex than other
accident cases. The attorneys of Epperly & Follis, P.C.,
have 15 years of experience in truck accident litigation,
and out team will work hard to show that the driver,
trucking company, or maintenance worker failed to exercise
a duty of reasonable care, which ultimately caused the
accident and resulting injuries.
David Epperly has previously represented a major trucking company and has gained vast experience in how to handle truck accidents that he now uses to represent victims of trucking accidents.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, it has likely resulted in a serious injury or wrongful death. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2005:
- 442,000 large trucks (gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds) were involved in traffic crashes in the United States
- 4,932 were involved in fatal crashes
- A total of 5,212 people died (12 percent of all the traffic fatalities reported in 2005)
- An additional 114,000 were injured in those crashes
- Large trucks, accounted for 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and 4 percent of all vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes
- One out of eight traffic fatalities in 2005 resulted from a collision involving a large truck
In truck accidents, drivers of tractor trailers typically remain uninjured because of the size and weight of the trucks. Cars are designed under the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards to handle impacts from other normal-sized vehicles, not 18-wheelers.
The causes of most truck accidents tend to fall into two general categories: driver error and vehicle maintenance failure. The most common cause of driver error is fatigue, which can cause clouded judgment, drowsiness, and falling asleep at the wheel. Driver error can also be due to inexperience, improper driver training and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether prescription or illegal). Deregulation of the trucking industry has resulted in an increase in speed-limit violations among tractor-trailer drivers as well.
Other cited reasons truck accidents:
- Driver fatigue
- Overly demanding truck driver schedules
- Failure to properly inspect tires, brakes and lights
- Tailgating
- Long work-shifts
- Cell phone use
- Failure to install blind spot mirrors
- Dangerous lane changes
- Jackknifing
- Aggressive Truck Driving
- Driving over the speed limit
The after-effects of a collision with a truck include death and gravely serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury or other brain damage; open head wounds; paralysis; spinal cord injury; back injury; broken bones; loss of limbs, and internal bleeding. In addition, there are lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. The attorneys of Epperly & Follis want to help you take action, so you receive the fair compensation you deserve.
If you or someone you know has been seriously injured in a tractor trailer accident, it is essential that you quickly retain an attorney who has experience in litigating truck accident cases. Epperly & Follis is on your side, and we are prepared to help you through this difficult litigation while seeking financial compensation for your losses. Please contact Epperly & Follis today for a free consultation at 1-888-703-0109 or (804) 648-6480, or contact us via our online Contact Form.
Truck Accident News
 MyFox Houston | Driver Killed in Train-Truck Accident MyFox Houston DAYTON, Texas - The driver of an 18-wheeler truck has died following a crash between the vehicle and a train at a railroad crossing in Liberty County. ... |
 The Guardian | James Cracknell in stable condition after truck accident in Arizona The Guardian James Cracknell is said to be in a stable condition after suffering a fractured skull in an accident with a truck in Arizona. The Olympic rowing champion ... |
Mukilteo woman, 73, struck and killed by truck HeraldNet The woman was hit in a crosswalk when a 12-wheel flatbed truck attempted to turn. By Eric Stevick, Herald Writer MUKILTEO -- A 73-year-old woman died ... |
US 31 open after chicken truck accident WSFA Lowndes County, Ala. (WSFA) - US 31 was blocked for several hours Tuesday morning after an 18-wheeler and a car collided near the Montgomery county/Lowndes ... |
Traffic Alert: SB Pa. Turnpike @ Lansdale Interchange KYW Newsradio Both southbound lanes of the northeast extension on the Pennsylvania Turnpike are shutdown after a truck accident involving two tractor trailers. ... |