Trucks fill the roads in Cook County, bringing commodities that people use every day. However, because trucks are typically so much larger and heavier than personal vehicles like cars, accidents involving trucks commonly cause tremendous damage, including the possibility of catastrophic injuries. If you sustained severe injuries, it could be beneficial to arrange an appointment with a committed Cook County truck accident lawyer.
A reliable injury attorney could review the circumstances of your accident and possibly work to help determine if another party acted negligently. When a truck driver operates their vehicle recklessly and causes an accident where you have suffered an injury, they could be held accountable for their disregard for your safety in court. En Español.
Factors That Complicate Truck Accident Cases
Unlike many other personal injury cases, truck accidents involve some unique situations that may be unfamiliar to those not experienced in litigating truck accident cases. One major difference between truck accidents and other motor vehicle crashes is that there often may be two or more parties at fault.
For instance, a truck accident in Cook County could have been caused by a combination of factors such as driver negligence, improper maintenance by a management company, insufficient driver training by the truck owner, and defective parts supplied by a manufacturer. The potentially responsible parties need to be identified before a case moves forward as it could be critical to the survival of the case.
Another complicating factor frequently comes from the unique federal, state and local laws that may apply to common carriers and other trucks on the highways. Often, these laws impose safety requirements not applicable to smaller vehicles. A Cook County truck accident lawyer could work tirelessly to help an injured person advocate for themselves in court. Arrange for an appointment to possibly begin sorting legal options that could be applicable to the case.
Assigning Liability for a Truck Accident
Generally, when an injury is caused by a situation that could have been prevented if someone had fulfilled the duty of care that they owed to others, the person who failed to fulfill that duty may be held liable for the injury. That is the basic principle of negligence law in Cook County, but often it can be very complicated to establish the standard of care for a particular situation and prove that failure to meet that standard directly caused a plaintiff’s injuries. In truck accidents, injured people may be able to recover for incidents attributed to causes such as:
- Driving too fast for road conditions
- Failure to adequately train drivers
- Drivers operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Encouraging or allowing drivers to drive too many hours
- Defects in equipment
- Improper maintenance of equipment
- Driving while distracted
Even if a driver’s negligence is directly at fault for an accident, such as when a driver falls asleep at the wheel, other parties may also be held responsible. For instance, if the driver’s fatigue is attributable to an illegal work schedule or unreasonable requirements established by the employer, that employer may also be held liable.
Talking to a Cook County Truck Accident Attorney
If you are suffering from the effects of a truck accident, you need to focus on your recovery. When you work with a knowledgeable Cook County truck accident lawyer, your attorney could field questions, evaluate your options, collect evidence and file necessary documents so that you could focus on your physical wellbeing. To learn how a skilled injury attorney could help you pursue appropriate compensation after a truck accident, call today to set up a consultation.
