Dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident can feel insurmountable, particularly when faced with unyielding insurance companies and the complexity of legal procedures. If you or someone you care about has been caught in a truck accident in Pittsburgh, you’re all too familiar with the life-altering consequences an accident can carry. Truck accidents typically result in significant injuries, substantial property damage, and deep emotional scars.
That’s precisely what our seasoned team of Pittsburgh truck accident attorneys at Monge & Associates specializes in. We are wholeheartedly devoted to empowering crash victims to claim justice and get the compensation they’re rightfully owed. With a profound understanding of truck accident laws and a history of success for our clients, we will champion your case with relentless determination. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Monge & Associates’ Pittsburgh truck accident attorneys. Call us today to take the crucial first step towards securing the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve.
Pittsburgh Truck Accident Resources
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What is a Truck Accident?
What Kinds of Truck Accidents May Occur?
Leading Causes of Truck Crashes
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)
Speak to a Lawyer Today
What Situations Qualify as a Truck Accident?
A Pittsburgh truck accident refers to a collision involving a commercial truck or tractor-trailer. These accidents often result in severe consequences due to the size and weight disparity between trucks and passenger vehicles. A truck accident can occur on highways, city streets, or even in parking lots, and may involve various types of trucks, including delivery trucks, semi-trucks, tanker trucks, or construction vehicles. The impact of a truck accident can be catastrophic, causing serious injuries, property damage, and even fatalities.
What Kinds of Truck Accidents May Occur?
Some common types of truck accidents include:
- Underride Accidents: Underride accidents occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of a truck. These accidents can result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities, often due to inadequate underride guards on the truck.
- Rear-End Collisions: These accidents happen when a truck crashes into the rear end of another vehicle, often due to the truck driver’s failure to maintain a safe following distance or sudden braking.
- Blind Spot Accidents: Trucks have significant blind spots, especially on the sides and rear of the vehicle. Failure to check blind spots or signal lane changes can result in accidents when smaller vehicles are not seen by the truck driver.
- Jackknife Accidents: A jackknife accident occurs when the trailer of a truck swings out at a severe angle relative to the cab, resembling the shape of a folding pocket knife. This can happen when the truck loses control, leading to dangerous skidding or sliding.
- Rollover Accidents: Rollover accidents involve a truck tipping onto its side or roof. Factors contributing to rollover accidents include speeding, abrupt turns, uneven road surfaces, and overloaded or improperly loaded cargo.
- Wide Turn Accidents: Large trucks require more space to make turns, and failure to properly execute a wide turn can lead to collisions with nearby vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists.
Seeking the assistance of a truck and car accident lawyer in Pittsburgh after a collision can help you gain clarity regarding your legal options.
Leading Causes of Truck Crashes
Common causes of Pittsburgh truck accidents that we see at Monge & Associates include:
- Driver fatigue: Truck drivers often work long hours and may not get sufficient rest, leading to driver fatigue. Fatigue can impair a driver’s reaction time and decision-making abilities, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Speeding: Excessive speed is a common cause of accidents involving trucks. Large commercial trucks require longer stopping distances, and when they are traveling at high speeds, it becomes challenging to stop in time to avoid a collision.
- Weather conditions: Adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain, snow, ice, or fog, can make driving conditions more hazardous, especially for large trucks. Reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces can increase the risk of accidents.
- Tailgating and aggressive driving: Following other vehicles too closely (tailgating) and engaging in aggressive driving behaviors such as abrupt lane changes, speeding, or weaving through traffic can result in accidents, particularly when done by large trucks.
- Failure to obey traffic laws: Violating traffic laws, such as running red lights, failing to yield, or disregarding posted speed limits, can lead to accidents involving trucks.
- Distracted driving: Distractions such as texting, talking on the phone, eating, or using in-cab technology can divert a truck driver’s attention from the road, leading to accidents.
- Improper loading or cargo securement: Poorly loaded or unsecured cargo can shift during transit, causing the truck to become unbalanced or the cargo to spill onto the roadway. This can result in loss of control and accidents.
- Impaired driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or certain medications can impair a truck driver’s judgment, coordination, and reaction times, significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
- Equipment failure: Defective or poorly maintained truck components, such as brakes, tires, steering systems, or lights, can contribute to accidents. Regular maintenance and inspections are crucial to ensure the safe operation of commercial trucks.
- Poor driver training: Insufficient training or experience can lead to errors in judgment, inadequate control of the vehicle, or improper handling of situations, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) are a set of rules established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to ensure the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) across the United States. These regulations apply to various aspects of CMV operations, including drivers, vehicles, and carriers. A failure to abide by these regulations can lead to increased liability for the truck driver at-fault. Here are some key areas covered by the FMCSRs:
- Driver Qualifications: The FMCSRs establish requirements for commercial drivers, including qualifications, licensing, and disqualifications. It covers factors such as age restrictions, driver training and experience, medical qualifications, and driver’s record of violations or disqualifications.
- Hours of Service (HOS): The HOS regulations limit the number of hours that commercial drivers can operate their vehicles before taking mandatory rest breaks. These regulations are aimed at preventing driver fatigue, and they specify maximum driving times, mandatory rest periods, and record-keeping requirements.
- Vehicle Maintenance and Inspections: The FMCSRs outline requirements for vehicle maintenance and inspections to ensure that commercial vehicles are in safe operating condition. They cover areas such as brakes, tires, lights, coupling devices, cargo securement, and emergency equipment.
- Drug and Alcohol Testing: The FMCSRs mandate drug and alcohol testing programs for commercial drivers to ensure they are not operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The regulations establish testing procedures, frequency, and consequences for violations.
- Hazardous Materials (Hazmat): The FMCSRs provide specific regulations for the transportation of hazardous materials. These regulations cover packaging, labeling, placarding, and other safety requirements to prevent accidents and protect the public and the environment.
- Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs): The FMCSRs mandate the use of electronic logging devices for recording drivers’ hours of service. ELDs replace traditional paper logbooks and help ensure accurate recording and monitoring of drivers’ compliance with HOS regulations.
- Carrier Safety Management: The FMCSRs include requirements for motor carriers, such as maintaining proper records, driver qualification files, vehicle inspection records, and safety management systems. Carriers are responsible for ensuring compliance with the regulations and implementing safety measures.
Contact Our Pittsburgh Truck Accident Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one find yourself caught in a truck accident, enlisting the aid of a qualified Pittsburgh personal injury lawyer is of the essence. At Monge & Associates, our devoted team is not only well-versed in the intricacies of truck accident litigation, but we are also committed to championing your rights and seeking the compensation you are rightfully owed. With a profound understanding of both state and federal regulations, we will spare no effort in thoroughly investigating your case, assembling compelling evidence, and constructing a strong case in your favor. Don’t hesitate – contact our Pittsburgh truck accident lawyers today for a consultation. Let us steer you confidently through the complexities of legal procedures so you can get the justice you seek.