Norwalk Truck Accident Law

Truck accidents are devastating, catastrophic events that can lead to severe injuries, fatalities, and expensive property damage. A tractor-trailer is dozens of times heavier than a passenger car when fully loaded, and that makes it far more dangerous than anything else on the road. While accidents can occur anywhere, they are most common on the many highways zigzagging across Norwalk. They include U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 7, and I-95.

If you or someone you love is injured in a truck accident, don’t wait to find out if you’re entitled to consultation. Call The Dodd Law Firm at 203-272-1883 to schedule a consultation now.

Truck Collisions in Connecticut

The Connecticut Crash Data Repository tracks every type of vehicle collision in the state, including those involving commercial vehicles. This gives officials, legislators, and drivers the data needed to improve road safety. In 2022, there were over 2,100 crashes involving commercial trucks. There were injuries or fatalities in just over 40% of those collisions and 30 total fatalities for the year. Work hours, particularly those in the very early morning, are the most common time for truck accidents.

Truck accidents are significantly more dangerous than car crashes. While there are fewer truck collisions than those solely involving passenger vehicles, they are statistically more likely to involve injuries or fatalities.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

When you move forward with your truck accident claim, a big part of your attorney’s job will be figuring out what led to your collision. This is a crucial part of determining who is liable and who is responsible for paying out compensation. Some of the commonly reported causes of truck collisions include:

• Following too closely

• Drifting out of own lane into another lane

• Failing to yield the right of way

• Reckless or aggressive driving

• Driving while impaired

• Driving while distracted
• Driving while fatigued

Unfortunately, fatigued driving is a growing problem in the truck driving industry. This field grows every single year, but the number of truck drivers simply isn’t growing at the same rate. Trucking companies, in an effort to make record profits, are trying to drive more miles on more hauls with fewer drivers. To do so, they force drivers to ignore FMCSA hours-of-service regulations, coerce drivers to take on additional hauls even when it is obviously unsafe to do so, and otherwise put people at risk. 

Important Evidence in Truck Accident Claims

While no one ever wants to be involved in a truck accident, at least there is substantial evidence available in these collisions. The more evidence you have, the easier it is to create a strong personal injury claim and hold the negligent party accountable.

Truck driving is a tightly regulated industry, due in large part to the amount of damage a truck can cause when operated by the wrong person. The FMCSA regulates everything from how much a truck can carry and how long a driver can be on the road to how often maintenance and inspections must happen. This can all end up being evidence for your claim—if the driver was in violation of hours of service regulations or the company had failed to get the truck inspected for months on end, that may serve as evidence of negligence.

The majority of commercial trucks are required to have electronic logging devices. This is once again due to FMCSA regulations. Electronic logging devices vary widely in what they track and how long they store data. Across the board, though, they tend to keep data that can be very useful to accident victims. The device may track how long it’s been since the driver took a break, how fast they were driving at the time of the crash, and if there were any unusual or erratic driving actions.

Your attorney will also look into the trucking company that employs the driver. Their hiring practices and protocols may also become evidence in your claim. Companies are expected to take reasonable steps to ensure that they only hire safe, qualified drivers. If your attorney can demonstrate that the company ignored its own hiring protocols or regularly hires unsafe drivers, that can prove the company’s negligence and role in your accident.

Of course, don’t forget about the evidence available in every type of vehicle accident. Photos and videos of the crash footage are invaluable since they help your attorney figure out what happened, the weather and road conditions at the time of the crash, and the damage to both vehicles. You only have one chance to document the crash, so make the most of it. You may also benefit from eyewitness testimony, the police report, repair estimates, and medical reports.

What The Dodd Law Firm Can Do For You

Truck accident claims can be incredibly complicated. There are far more parties involved than there are in other types of vehicle collisions, which means more hurdles to navigate as you fight for compensation. These accidents tend to be much more costly than other types of crashes, which means you can expect the insurance company to work even harder to deny liability and limit their financial losses.

What can you do to protect your best interests after an accident? You can talk to the Norwalk truck accident lawyers at The Dodd Law Firm. We know that truck companies circle the wagons after an accident in an effort to protect themselves from liability and huge payouts. It’s nearly impossible for a victim to fight against large companies on their own. 

That’s where we come in—we know how to hold negligent drivers and companies accountable for their mistakes. From investigating your accident and injuries to negotiating with the trucking company or taking your case to court, you can rely on us to represent your needs every step of the way.

Get the Advocacy You Deserve and Call the Dodd Law Firm Now

The quicker you reach out to our team after a truck accident, the more time we have to build your case. Let’s talk about your injuries, how the accident happened, and what we recommend for your next steps. Call us at 203-272-1883 or fill out our online contact form.