Truck Accident Settlements
The majority of fatalities caused by a semi-truck accident are others in passenger vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. In 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a total of 4,102 people died as a result of a truck accident. Almost 70 percent of those deaths were passengers or drivers in cars.
Since 2009, the number of passenger deaths caused by truck accidents has increased by 30 percent. However, 2009 also had the lowest amount of passenger deaths since 1975. The 2000s brought a steady decrease in fatalities, until 2010, when the number of deaths began increasing again.
Factors in Truck Accidents
There is much more into putting a semi-truck on the road than a passenger vehicle. Some of the most common reasons for truck accidents are equipment failure, poor vehicle maintenance, and the improper loading of cargo. Driver error, negligence, and poor weather conditions are also top reasons for accidents involving a semi-truck. Truck drivers can be pressured to be as productive as possible, thus skipping necessary rest. Here are some examples where a truck driver, or company, was found liable for an accident.
- One of the most famous recent cases of a truck operator driving over time and causing an accident is when a semi-truck was speeding in a work zone and hit a limo that was carrying a group of actors and a personal assistant. One person died instantly. The most famous of the group, a cast member from the NBC show, “Saturday Night Live” was left with multiple bone fractures, head trauma, and was in a coma for two weeks. The company who owned the truck settled privately after the National Transportation Safety Board found the driver to have been on the road for 28 hours without rest.
- $105 million was granted to a family in Texas after the drive shaft of a semi-truck became detached and few though the truck’s windshield, killing a man. It was found in court that the truck had not been maintained properly. Originally, the family was awarded $281 million, but that amount was reduced before officially settling for an undisclosed amount.
- A truck driver in Georgia rammed into a collection of cars on Interstate 16 after failing to step on the brakes. This case ended in an $80 million settlement after five local students were killed, and two were severely injured.
Contact An Kane County Personal Injury Attorney
You and your family should not suffer for the negligence of a truck driver or company. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, contact an experienced Aurora, Illinois Truck Accident Attorney today to discuss your options. Call 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
https://deadline.com/2015/08/tracy-morgan-settles-lawsuit-walmart-car-crash-1201433546/
