Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorney
With an extensive beltway circling the metropolitan area and four major interstates passing through the city, Indianapolis sees a great deal of commercial truck traffic passing through its environs at all times of day. Unfortunately, this large amount of traffic raises the likelihood of a truck accident involving serious personal injury or wrongful death. In fact, truck accidents in Indiana account for thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths each year. Most of these accidents are preventable and may be due to the negligence of the truck driver or the failure of the trucking company to properly maintain their big rigs. The truck accident attorneys at Lee Cossell & Feagley, LLP in Indianapolis help accident victims in Indiana recover compensation from negligent truck drivers and their employers.
Truck Accidents Cause Serious Injuries
Because of their enormous size and weight, commercial tractor-trailers almost always cause serious or catastrophic injuries to the occupants of the other vehicle in a crash. Additionally, the size and weight of an 18-wheeler contributes to collisions in many ways. Big rigs need extra time to react or stop, so careful truck drivers will maintain adequate stopping distance and allow for the needed increased reaction time. Blind spots for a semi-truck present another hazard, as they can extend for several car lengths behind the trailer and in front of the cab, as well as extending across multiple lanes of traffic on either side. Well-trained and experienced truckers will signal their intentions well in advance and check all their properly-adjusted mirrors before executing a turn or lane change.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a truck accident, you need advice and representation from experienced accident and injury attorneys who can help you get the compensation you need.
Federal Regulations Impose Rules for Truck Safety
An important factor to consider in any truck accident is whether the driver and the trucking company were in compliance with safety rules of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Government regulations say how long a trucker may be behind the wheel without any break. They also regulate the length of a trucker’s workday and workweek, as well as placing duties on trucking companies to inspect and maintain their fleet in a safe operating condition. An important part of a truck accident investigation is determining compliance with these rules, but drivers are known to falsify logbooks and records, making this determination more challenging.
Seek Experienced Legal Representation with Your Indiana Truck Accident
Trucking companies and their insurance carriers spend a great deal of resources defending truck accident claims and lawsuits. Be sure to hire an attorney with the skills, abilities and resources to go up against the trucking industry and hold them accountable for their negligence. In Indiana statewide, contact Lee Cossell & Feagley, LLP in Indianapolis for assistance.