Houston is one of the hubs of commercial semi-truck transportation in the United States. Semi-truck traffic is a common sight that you will always see here. Unfortunately, the heavy traffic of these can lead to many accidents. Considering this, it becomes important for you to have Houston semi-truck accident attorneys.
What are the fundamental reasons that require someone to have an attorney to handle Houston semi-truck accident cases? This article will help answer this question.
Houston Truck Accident Statistics
Every year, trucks, semi-trucks, and other large commercial vehicles are involved in tens of thousands of traffic accidents across the country. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration statistics also show that truck accidents have increased during the past few decades.
In 2009, 60,000 trucks were involved in accidents across the United States. Ten years later, in 2019, the number of accidents involving semi-trucks and large trucks more than doubled to 127,000 total accidents. More so, fatal truck accidents have also jumped by 47% in recent years between 2009 and 2019.
So, how common and frequent are semi-truck accidents in Houston? According to a report from the Texas Department of Transportation, there were approximately 38,149 commercial truck accidents in Texas in 2021. Of these, there were at least 5,743 semi-truck and large truck accidents that occurred in the Houston area.
Causes of Many Semi-Truck Accidents in Houston
There are thousands of commercial trucks involved in accidents every year in Houston. However, they are avoidable due to laws that require trucking companies to hire qualified drivers and require every truck driver to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
In this case, it can be said that the most common cause of semi-truck accidents in Houston is truck driver error and negligence. What are some examples of these causes? Below is an explanation.
1. Fatigued Driving
The average number of over-the-road truck drivers spend 300 days a year on the road. Many of them drive at night and travel long and rough roadways. While the FMCSA has hours of service regulations that require frequent breaks and limit the amount of driving time, not all truck drivers strictly obey these rules.
Some truck drivers, perhaps under pressure to make deliveries and meet deadlines, push themselves beyond their limits. In any case, fatigued truck drivers tend to have difficulty concentrating, are more easily distracted, and are more likely to fall asleep while driving. This is what leads to truck accidents.
2. Drugs and Alcohol
The next cause is alcohol and drugs. Consuming either while driving can significantly impact a truck driver’s ability to navigate an 18-wheeler safely. The drugs can affect reaction time, lead to blurred vision, increase tiredness, and raise the risk of a collision. Thus, accidents may also happen.
3. Distracted Driving
Being alone for long periods allows a truck driver’s attention to be easily distracted while driving. Whether the driver is daydreaming, texting while driving, taking phone calls, or having a meal, these things can distract attention and focus, leading to accidents.
4. Speeding or Driving at Unsafe Speeds
Speeding significantly increases the risk of truck accidents, and it’s easy to guess why. Trucks weigh significantly more than other vehicles on the road, up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. That’s why these vehicles can stretch more than 50 feet when hauling multiple trailers.
On top of that, when running at high speeds, semi-trucks and trucks can be difficult to navigate. If there is an accident involving a high-speed semi-truck, it increases the chances of it rolling over and hitting pedestrians or other vehicles in the roadway.
In addition to the four main causes above, several other common causes lead to semi-truck accidents in Houston. What are they? Here they are:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Driving in truck blind spots
- Wide turns
- Improper cargo loading and cargo movement
- Negligent recruitment
- Failure to carry out pre and post-trip inspections
- Failure to take defective trucks out of service
- Vehicle defects
- Tire burst
Compensation You Can Get with the Help of Houston Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys
In general, victims of semi-truck accidents in Houston can seek compensation from both the insurance company and the party responsible for the losses. In most cases, the compensation you can receive comes in two forms, economic and non-economic. So, what are these compensations? Here’s the explanation.
1. Economic Compensation
This type of compensation is generally awarded based on the financial and monetary losses you receive as a result of a semi-truck accident. Economic compensation includes:
- Medical transportation from the accident scene, hospitalization, surgery, and other recent medical bills
- Medical equipment, medical supplies, rehabilitation, ongoing medical treatment, and any future medical expenses
- Loss of wages, income, and fringe benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Nursing assistance, including home care
- Funeral and burial expenses in the event of a fatal truck accident
2. Non-Economic Compensation
Non-economic compensation, on the other hand, is a type of compensation that exists to compensate for distress, suffering, or changes in your life. This type of compensation usually does not have a specific financial value. The following are examples of non-economic compensation:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Depression and anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Damage
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Embarrassment
Assessing both economic and non-economic damages can be a challenging and lengthy process for you. Therefore, you should have Houston semi-truck accident lawyers by your side. These individuals will help you to receive the amount of compensation that you are due.
Why Do You Need Houston Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys?
After all, semi-truck and truck accidents are different from other vehicle accidents. In most cases, serious injuries and even fatalities are more common in semi-truck collisions. Further, the insurance company you seek compensation from will be vastly different, and try to minimize their expenses to pay your compensation.
Given this problem, you need Houston semi-truck accident attorneys to help you fight against insurance companies and other parties who want to lower the value of your compensation. In other words, having the best and most experienced lawyer will help you defend your rights and get the compensation you deserve.
Are You Ready to Hire Houston Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys?
As you have already learned, semi-truck accidents differ from other vehicle accidents. There are more complicated things that you should pay attention to to ask for your rights and compensation. From this problem, contacting Houston semi-truck accident attorneys can be the best solution you can take.
There may be several options in every state. You must consider it wisely before hiring the law firm you choose. Research deeply and ask for opinions from your colleagues. Then, you will get the best recommendation who can defend you as a victim of accidents.
