Your choice of a lawyer in a tractor trailer accident case may be crucial to its success. The laws and regulations governing tractor trailer drivers and large trucking companies are unique in many ways. Special federal and state laws and safety regulations apply to the operation of large trucks and 18-wheelers. These laws and regulations are extensive. They cover a wide range of topics including requirements for thorough truck inspections and restrictions on the numbers of hours a truck driver may drive before he must take a break. You need a truck accident attorney who is familiar with these laws and regulations because they can play a major role in the outcome of your case.
An experienced truck accident lawyer will understand how large trucks and tractor trailers operate, will appreciate the inherent limitations of tractor trailers, and will recognize the predictable causes of commercial truck accidents. An experienced truck accident lawyer will also know what kinds of records a truck driver and trucking company are required to keep, and what kinds of other records they usually keep, that need to be specifically requested in your claim. Lawyers unfamiliar with these types of cases may not be able to fully represent your best interests.
Tractor trailers and other large trucks do not handle or maneuver like ordinary automobiles. It takes longer for them to stop. Sometimes these differences are counter-intuitive; for instance, an unloaded tractor trailer often takes longer to stop than a loaded one. Blind spots sometimes prevent truck drivers from seeing vehicles driving beside them. Taking a turn or a curve too fast may cause the truck to roll over. An experienced tractor trailer accident attorney will be able to properly explore how and why your accident happened. Working with investigators, trucking industry experts, and accident reconstructionists, an experienced truck accident attorney can build the evidence necessary to represent you to achieve the best result.
