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Common Reasons for Truck Accidents in the Carolinas and U.S.

There are many reasons a truck driver or their employer could be found negligent for past actions — or, in some cases, inaction. Examples of common reasons for a truck accident occurring include:

No matter the reason for your truck accident, your personal injury lawyer will attempt to get to the bottom of it. They will endeavor to build a strong case based on evidence and the application of relevant laws and regulations.

For instance, hours of service regulations force truckers to take breaks or avoid working if they have worked more than their set maximum of consecutive driving hours. They cannot drive more than 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. If a driver was found to have exceeded these hours, then their employer could be held accountable for the effects of an accident caused while the driver was fatigued.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What do I do after a truck accident?

  Getting in a truck accident is major a shock to the system, but you can aid in your recovery by keeping in mind the most important steps for what to do after a crash. How you decide to act in the hours, days, and weeks following your crash can have a dramatic effect on your ability to seek compensation for your injury costs and related expenses.

  Every truck accident case is different, but there are a number of actions every accident victim should take. These steps ensure that their accident is documented, that they are receiving the necessary medical attention, and that they are examining their options for possibly obtaining compensation through a truck accident insurance claim or lawsuit. Read More

• What are common truck accident injuries?

  If you’re involved in a wreck with a truck, there’s a very strong chance that you’ll suffer some pretty serious injuries. After all, your car probably weighs about 3,000 pounds, while a fully loaded semi-truck weighs upwards of 80,000 pounds. The simple physics of these types of accidents means the person in the smaller vehicle is much more likely to suffer severe, and sometimes life-threatening, injuries.

  After a wreck with a commercial vehicle, it’s important to have someone on your side who is fighting for your rights. At Auger & Auger, we have represented victims of truck accident injuries for over 26 years. We know how to take on the insurance company and get you the full compensation you deserve. Read More

• How can I prevent a truck accident?

  Not every truck accident is preventable, but some can be. Taking safe actions on the road around trucks can dramatically reduce your chances of getting injured in a major truck accident.

  Even when truck drivers make mistakes, act recklessly, or have negligent employers, there are truck accident prevention steps you can take to stay farther out of harm’s way. Statistics from the FMCSA show that 81% of injury-causing truck accidents and 74% of all fatal truck accidents start with a “collision with vehicle in transport,” This means the truck made an impact with another vehicle on the road, usually a passenger vehicle, like a car, truck, or SUV. Read More

• What are some statistics for truck accidents?

  Truck accidents are rarer than car accidents, but they’re often more severe. Simple physics says they will result in more serious injuries than regular car accidents. After all, an 80,000-pound truck colliding with a 3,000-pound car will almost always be more devastating than two average cars hitting each other.

  There were more than 450,000 total accidents involving large trucks in 2017. About 4,200 of these accidents resulted in fatalities, while 102,000 resulted in injuries. The majority of these wrecks, about 344,000 of them, resulted in property damage only. Read More

• How can I win compensation for a truck accident?

  Because of the sheer weight and size of semi-trucks, an accident involving one of these massive vehicles may change your life forever. You may become paralyzed or physically disfigured, and you may suffer emotionally for the rest of your life. The good news is, our lawyers can help you get the truck accident compensation you deserve.

  For over 26 years, we have helped truck accident victims in the Carolinas get the compensation they deserve. We know the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying you the money you deserve, and we know how to take them on in and out of court.  Read More

• What is a commercial driver’s license (CDL)?

  A commercial driver’s license, or CDL, is a special type of license needed to drive certain classifications of large trucks and other commercial vehicles. To obtain the license, drivers need to pass certain requirements that can vary from state to state. Most states require passing a written exam and a road test. Drivers carrying hazardous materials also have to complete federal security threat assessment before they can receive the endorsement.

  For truck accident victims, a commercial driver’s license may be relevant to their case because employers are required to ensure that every driver has a current CDL and a relatively clean driving record. If a driver has an expired CDL or the wrong type of classification and gets in a wreck, then the employer could be found negligent for their lack of oversight. Read More

• What is a jake brake?

  A Jake Brake is the trademark name for a compression release engine braking system. Essentially, it’s an extra supplemental braking system to help stop the truck faster in addition to the traditional friction brakes on the wheels. With an air compression system, the engine will work to slow down the semi-truck.

  18-wheeler truck engines are quite complicated. To put it simply, air enters the intake valve and is forced into the engine cylinders. That air is compressed, and the energy released is distributed by the pistons. Read More

• What Is a Subpoena?

  A subpoena (pronounced “sub-pee-nuh”) refers to a legal document that demands that someone either produce evidence for a trial or go to testify in it. Ignoring a subpoena or failing to produce the requested evidence can be punished by finding the recipient in contempt of court.

  To provide a quick and simple subpoena definition: it’s a piece of paper that asks you to do something, and if you don’t you could face penalties. Read More

• What is a reefer trailer?

  You may not realize it, but you have likely relied on reefer trailers your whole life. A reefer trailer is one that is refrigerated to carry goods that must remain cold. They may be as simple as the ice cream truck that travels through your neighborhood, or they could be a large semi-truck with a refrigerated trailer transporting fresh or frozen foods.

  In some cases, the reefer truck may also carry vaccines and other life-saving pharmaceuticals across the country — and across the globe. In some cases, reefer trucks can also be used to carry heated goods. The invention of the reefer trailer has made globalization a much more feasible goal. Read More

• What is a cab in trucking?

  The word “cab” is often used in reference to vehicles in the trucking industry. But what is a cab in a truck? If you are not familiar with these vehicles or the daily life of a truck driver, you may not know for sure.

  In trucking, a “cab” most often refers to the part of the vehicle where the truck driver sits and, sometimes, sleeps. The word “cab,” in this case, is short for “cabin.” Read More

• What is a bobtail truck?

  In the trucking industry, there are three types of “bobtail trucks.” The first type of bobtail truck is a semi-truck that doesn’t have a trailer attached. This is also known as simply a semi-truck, and truckers will often say they’re “running bobtails.”

  The second type of bobtail truck is one in which every axle on the truck is attached to the same chassis. These are typically small- to medium-sized trucks, such as a bobtail delivery truck or a bobtail dump truck. In some cases, you don’t even need a special license to drive this kind of bobtail truck. Read More

• What is deadhead trucking?

  What is “deadhead” in trucking? Riding deadhead refers to times when a truck is hauling an empty trailer. This can include an empty dry van trailer or an empty flatbed.

  What does deadhead mean in trucking? Most often it means lost money. Truck drivers rarely get paid to haul empty trailers. If you’re an owner-operator of your rig, you want to be hauling things in your trailer for as much mileage as possible. Otherwise, you’re spending time and gas money on not getting paid. Read More

• What does GVWR mean?

  In short, GVWR is the gross vehicle weight rating on a vehicle. This is the maximum weight a vehicle has been engineered to safely carry. GVWR is regulated by the federal government. It’s important to note that GVWR has nothing to do with how much the truck actually weighs. That is the gross vehicle weight or GVW. This number may fluctuate with cargo, passengers, etc., but the GVWR always remains the same.

  In addition, GVWR doesn’t actually include the trailer of a big rig. Instead, gross combination weight rating (GCWR) includes both the GVWR of the truck, as well as the GVWR of the trailer that it’s carrying. Read More