Our Attorneys Are Experienced In All Types of Tractor Trailer Accidents

Our tractor trailer accident attorneys are experienced in handling the many causes and types of trucking accidents, including:

Truck Driver Fatigue

The experienced truck accident lawyers at Allen and Allen can gather evidence which may show that truck driver fatigue contributed to cause your accident. Tired truck drivers are a leading cause of motor vehicle accidents. Federal regulations governing interstate transportation of goods and passengers permit truckers to drive their rigs for 11 consecutive hours before taking a rest break. Studies show that a truck driver's alertness and performance begin to deteriorate substantially after 8 hours of driving. This should be no surprise. The average worker in the United States only works a 35 to 40 hour week. Trucking companies, however, can schedule their drivers to work almost twice as much in 8 days. The long, grueling hours behind the wheel of a tractor trailer can have a devastating effect on the safety of other motorists traveling the highways.

Truck Accidents Caused by Shifting and Falling Cargo

Occasionally, a truck driver loses control of his rig because of shifting or falling cargo. Logs, dressed lumber, or other building products may fall off a tractor trailer. Gravel, sawdust, or bricks may spill off a dump truck. Bulldozers, front end loaders, or other heavy equipment in transport to building sites may break from their moorings. When a tractor trailer jackknifes in response to shifting cargo or a bulldozer breaks loose from its tiedowns and falls onto the highway, innocent motorists nearby may be injured. Allen and Allen's tractor trailer accident lawyers are familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations which specify how a large truck's load must be contained, immobilized or secured so the truck's stability and maneuverability are not adversely affected. Our trucking accident attorneys know that a trucking company and its drivers may not operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the vehicle's cargo is properly distributed and adequately secured according to comprehensive federal specifications. A trucking company's failure to comply with federal cargo securement requirements may constitute negligence and serve as the legal basis of a personal injury lawsuit against the trucking company and its driver.

Truck Accidents Resulting from Faulty Inspection, Maintenance and Repair

Because commercial interstate truck drivers put so many miles every year on their trucks, the inspection, repair and maintenance of these large vehicles are critical to the safety of the motoring public. It doesn't take long for a truck's braking system to show wear, for wheel bearings to require lubrication, or lighting devices to become mired in dirt or to burn out. As a result, a tractor trailer or large truck may not be able to avoid slamming into the rear of a car slowing down in front of it. The truck accident lawyers at Allen and Allen are familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations governing commercial truck inspection, repair and maintenance, regulations which have also been adopted by the State of Virginia for intrastate carriers. Allen and Allen attorneys know how to discover whether failure to properly inspect, maintain or repair a commercial truck contributed to cause your collision with a tractor trailer. Our truck accident attorneys can review and evaluate the facts in your case to determine whether the trucking company and its driver are responsible for paying you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Truck Accidents Caused by a Drunk Driver

The personal injury attorneys at Allen and Allen handle accident cases involving drunk drivers operating vehicles large trucks and interstate tractor trailers. The potential for suffering catastrophic injury, however, is much greater if a 60,000 pound tractor trailer hits your car than if you are struck by a small automobile. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations prohibit the driver of a commercial motor vehicle from operating that vehicle while having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater. This limitation is more stringent than the one imposed on an ordinary driver, which is 0.08. In addition, no driver is permitted to drive a commercial truck while using any controlled substance including marijuana metabolites, cocaine metabolites, amphetamines, opiate metabolites and phencyclidine (PCP). Federal regulations have strict requirements regarding pre-employment, random, and post- accident testing of commercial truck drivers. These testing records may reveal that a trucker's drinking or substance abuse contributed to cause your accident, and they may be vital to the successful prosecution of your case.

Catastrophic Trucking Accidents and Wrongful Death from Trucking Accidents

When a car collides with a big truck, more than 95% of the resulting fatalities are the occupants of the smaller passenger vehicle. A tractor trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds while the average automobile weighs less than 6,000 pounds. Those who survive a collision with one of these giants are lucky, but may still suffer catastrophic injuries including traumatic brain injury, loss of an arm or leg, severe injuries to internal organs, and serious burns. You need an attorney who knows the ins and outs of handling truck accident litigation. You need the lawyers at Allen and Allen who have been representing persons badly injured in collisions with tractor trailers for almost a century.

Rely on our experienced team of tractor trailer accident lawyers to represent you; call us at 866-388-1307 for a free consultation or complete our case evaluation form.

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