INDIAN LAND TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

Indian Land is growing rapidly. Because of its close proximity to I-77 and I-85, Fort Mill and Charlotte, we are starting to see many more commercial trucks on our roads. Delivery trucks, service trucks, utility trucks, and tractor trailer semi trucks are becoming more prevalent. Consequently, we are also starting to experience more Indian Land truck accidents. All of these trucks have one thing in common. They are large, heavy, and are traveling at highway speeds. Unfortunately, that much weight and size in motion can be difficult to stop in an emergency and hard to control when loads become unstable. When other drivers pull out in front of a large truck, cargo can shift in a trailer and become less secure. The next defensive driving maneuver can then cause the trailer to “jack knife” or even turn over in traffic. That’s when heavy trucks on the road cause massive carnage, serious injury and even death when they impact with smaller vehicles such as cars. Even though the trucking industry is heavily regulated by the states and federal government, trucking companies still put tremendous pressure on their drivers to deliver “on time” no matter how they do it. And with a nationwide driver shortage, truck driver training schools are pumping out new, young drivers to try to fill the shortage. There are all types of incentives, including tuition reimbursement and a job waiting at the end of training. Surprisingly, a new student can obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and start driving big trucks in as little as three (3) weeks. That’s right. Just 3 weeks later, you can have a new graduate in a semi truck on the interstate driving next to you and your family at 70 mph.

SEMI-TRUCK CASES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER ACCIDENT CASES

Serious truck accident cases require seasoned, experienced lawyers. They are NOT simply “bigger auto accident cases.” To fully develop a tractor trailer accident case, there is going to be a lot of hard work ahead and significant expense necessary to learn all you can about the driver, truck, and trucking company. Because of the technical aspects of today’s large trucks, there is a substantial amount of information available which will detail what actually happened in an accident. In many cases, victims are seriously injured or even killed. Those that do survive often have no memory of the accident. As a result, truck accident attorneys often have to use “accident reconstruction experts” to investigate and show what happened and who is responsible for a crash. In addition, because of the life changing, permanent injuries caused, it is often necessary to retain a life care planner to fully document a client’s future medical care needs and projected costs. There are also significant deposition costs associated with truck accident cases as there are usually many witnesses who can help show what happened and how the trucking company’s policies or breach of safety rules contributed to the crash. All of these critical elements of the case require considerable costs outlay. Smaller firms may not be able to cover these necessary expenses to fully expose all that needs to be proven. Experienced lawyers follow all leads to learn everything that they can before they start any settlement discussions with the carrier. In short, serious Indian Land truck accident cases don’t settle quickly unless you are willing to accept less than full value. That’s not what you hire lawyers to do. Only after full discovery can your truck accident attorney provide you with a fair assessment of available options.

WHAT WE OFFER

At Robert J. Reeves P.C., our attorneys are veteran trial lawyers. Mr. Reeves has been practicing law since 1989 and has over 25 years litigation experience in both civil and criminal courts. In many semi-truck accident cases, there are both civil as well as criminal elements. Perhaps the driver had been drinking or taking stimulant drugs to stay awake. If so, there may a DUI issue in the civil case. There may also be workers’ compensation questions about whether the driver was acting as an employee or an independent contractor at the time of the accident. Mr. Reeves can address all of the matters given his diverse experience over his legal career.

Mr. Reeves has been inducted into peer-review organizations including the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and Super Lawyers. Attorney Robert J. Reeves is a former Registered Nurse (RN) who worked in Intensive Care. He has treated critically injured patients and understands complex injury cases. He can easily review medical records and explain serious injury at mediation or trial. If properly prepared, most cases can be successfully negotiated at mediation. But if not, you have to be willing to go all the way and take your case to trial.

MOST COMMON CAUSES OF SEMI TRUCK ACCIDENTS

While every case is unique, there are some common causes of many tractor trailer accidents. The number one cause is driver fatigue. Truck drivers, whether they work for a company or are independent, are overworked. If they are employed by a trucking company, great pressure is exerted on them to deliver their cargo on time. No matter what is required. If they work for themselves, they are only making money when in motion and at highway speeds. Traffic or detours only slow them down in delivering their load. The only way to make up for lost time is to speed or stay on the road longer. Despite federal and state regulations about how many hours they can be driving, many drivers figure out ways around such rules so that they can make delivery and make a living.

Another common problem with semi truck accidents is driver training and inexperience. For the past several years, there has been a critical driver shortage across the country. The new generation of potential drivers seemingly have little interest in becoming truck drivers despite great pay and relative independence. Even in this economy and high unemployment, trucking companies and schools have a difficult time attracting new recruits. The reason is that truck drivers spend long days and weeks on the road and away from their families and friends. It is also hard to play video games while driving. Consequently, trucking schools offer incentives, and trucking companies will often reimburse the costs and have a job waiting at the end of training. Here’s what will surprise you. With no prior experience, anyone 18 years or older can enroll and complete training in as little as three (3) weeks. While national companies will supplement initial training with assisted drivers for a short period, smaller companies will accept your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and put you on the road right away. The problem with this type of on-the-job training is that it places all other drivers and families on the road at tremendous risk.

Another problem we encounter in truck accident cases is poor or inconsistent maintenance. Everything associated with a semi truck or tractor trailer rig is very expensive. The initial cost is easily in excess of $100,000. Fuel costs and tires are substantial. And routine maintenance actually costs drivers and trucking companies two ways. First, there is the costs of an expensive technician and replacement parts. Then, there is the downtime required to service them. When the truck is in the service bay, it is not out on the road making money. As a result, maintenance is often delayed until absolutely necessary. Towards the end of recommended service intervals, braking and other safety systems can be overtaxed and may even fail when needed. Failure of systems is what causes accidents and serious injury or worse.

One final issue we see in many cases is improper or overloaded trailers. Because there are too few available drivers, trucking companies are starting to put dangerously overloaded or improper loaded cargo on the roads. It is the “just one more” theory that places us all at risk of serious accidents. Even if stable when first loaded, cargo often shifts during transit and can become unstable. A sharp turn or aggressive braking can cause the trailer to overturn and have loose cargo traveling at interstate speeds. When out of control heavy equipment impacts with passenger cars or lighter trucks, people get injured or worse. These are the truck accident cases you hear about on the news where multiple vehicles are involved and numerous fatalities occur. It could all be prevented if trucking companies and independent drivers would follow safety regulations and best practices. When they don’t and people are harmed, all responsible parties need to be held fully accountable. That’s where our firm comes onto the scene.

TRUCKING ACCIDENT LAWYERS IN INDIAN LAND

Here in the Fort Mill / Indian Land area, the law firm Robert J. Reeves P.C. is based in Baxter Village off of Highway 160. We are not “by appointment only” but are fully staffed and ready to meet with you at your convenience. Of course, if needed, we are willing to come to you in the hospital or even your home if that is easier for you. We are available when you need us, even after hours, evenings, or weekends. For more immediate questions and concerns, you can reach Mr. Reeves directly by calling 803-554-4157 or email . We provide aggressive but compassionate representation. We would be honored to be considered in your search for an Indian Land truck accident attorney. Call us today and let’s see what we can do to help.

*Membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum is not intended to convey valuation on any particular case. Every case is different, and a final determination of value is based on unique factors.