Your Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers in Waterford, CT
It may shock you to learn that many of the truck drivers on the roads with your family on I-95 have been awake and driving for over 16 hours straight. Exhaustion can impair a truck driver’s ability to operate a truck safely, slowing down reaction times and causing poor judgment. Truck drivers can even fall asleep behind the wheel.
If you have been injured by an exhausted truck driver, a truck crash lawyer could help you seek justice. Learn more about the role of fatigued truck drivers in Waterford accidents before you pursue an injury claim in court.
The nature of trucking schedules makes fatigued driving an all-too-common issue. Truckers are on long-haul routes, often with unrealistic delivery deadlines. Pressure from employers or logistics companies can prompt drivers to act in an unsafe manner. This also flies in the face of a federal hours-of-service regulation requiring that drivers take 30-minute breaks and cap their workdays at 14 hours. These regulations are violated all the time.
Anyone who has been in a Waterford accident caused by a truck driver should look for signs that the trucker was fatigued at the time of the crash. Signs include erratic lane changes, drifting across lanes, delayed braking, and failing to stop in time. Sleepy truck drivers may also fail to attempt evasive moves before making impact with other vehicles or objects.
Certain types of accidents in Waterford are commonly caused by exhausted truck drivers. For example, rear-end collisions are commonly the result of a fatigued driver who fails to slow for traffic as the highway slows down for an exit or entrance. Truckers can also cause jackknife accidents, particularly in wet conditions. If a driver loses spatial awareness while changing lanes, they can also cause side-swipe collisions.
These accidents are often the fault of the truck driver, who has a personal and professional responsibility to drive safely and adhere to regulations. However, injury victims may also hold a trucking company responsible, particularly if it encouraged overwork or falsified logs. Third parties, including cargo loaders and maintenance crews, may also hold some liability in these accidents, depending on the cause.
One of the first things injury victims do is file a personal injury claim. A lawsuit or settlement may cover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A settlement can also provide support for surviving family members after fatal accidents. An attorney could initiate the process of gathering evidence, whether that includes electronic logging device data, surveillance footage, black box records, driver statements, and more.
It is important to act quickly after a truck accident. Not only is it important to gather evidence quickly before it disappears, but Connecticut also has a statute of limitations on personal injury claims. Generally, a person has two years from the date of injury to file.
The role of fatigued truck drivers in Waterford accidents is serious, and there can be devastating consequences. An attorney offers local insight and experience about Waterford highways, traffic patterns, and courts. An attorney could also negotiate with insurers and lend their litigation experience to your case.
You do not have to face the devastating impact of a truck accident on your own. Contact a Waterford truck accident lawyer today for a consultation with someone who can help.
We are committed to provide personalized attention to each and every client’s case – no matter how large or small– because that is each client’s only case. We are proud of our firm’s reputation of combining integrity and compassion with an unflinching dedication to getting the right result. We will do what we say.
