Common Chicago Truck Accident Causes

Commercial truck accidents are some of the most severe accidents that can take place in the Chicagoland area, and routinely lead to severe injuries, lifelong impairment, and even death.

If you were badly hurt in a truck accident and don’t know where to turn, call Lane Brown, LLC at 312-332-1400 for a free consultation. Our truck accident attorneys can determine what caused your crash and help you win compensation for your injuries. Best of all, you don’t have to pay us anything unless we win.

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• Most Common Truck Accident Causes in Chicago
• How Our Team Proves the Cause of an Accident#
• Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident
• Compensation for Accident Victims
• Speak to a Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer Today
• Truck Accident Causes FAQ

Most Common Truck Accident Causes in Chicago

Understanding what caused your accident is the first step toward proving liability. Your lawyer must determine who is responsible for the crash to start pursuing compensation. Lawyers typically consider the most common truck accident causes in Chicago when starting a case. By going through this list and identifying each contributing factor to your crash, a big rig accident attorney can ensure that you receive every cent of compensation owed:

Driver Fatigue

Fatigue is a top factor in semi-truck crashes. Long hours behind the wheel can slow driver reaction times and impair their judgment. Despite Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations that limit driving hours, many drivers and companies push the limits. A capable attorney can uncover an FMCSA breach to make both the driver and their employer liable for your injuries.

Distracted Driving

We all understand that it’s dangerous to look away from the road while driving. That danger only compounds when the person looking away is operating an 18-wheeler. If a trucker or bus driver looks at their phone and directly causes an accident as a result, they are personally liable for any injuries caused. Proving distraction often requires reviewing electronic data and interviewing witnesses, which is best handled by experienced legal teams.

Speeding and Reckless Driving

Commercial vehicles like semi-trucks, buses, and garbage trucks can weigh up to 25 times as much as passenger vehicles. When commercial vehicle drivers start speeding, they drastically increase the distance needed to stop their vehicle, which in turn makes them far more likely to cause a crash. Today, most trucks provide live GPS data, which can help lawyers determine if traffic laws and company safety policies were violated. Your attorney can even review communication logs between the driver and the logistics company to see if the driver was pressured to complete deliveries in an unsafe manner.

Impaired Driving

Alcohol, drugs, and even prescription medications are among the most common truck accident causes, as they impair a driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle. All across the country, impaired truck drivers have caused multi-vehicle pileups with tragic outcomes. A lawyer can obtain toxicology reports and employment history to support your claim.

Poor Maintenance

Semi-trucks travel thousands of miles every week and require regular maintenance as a result. If a driver or logistics company ignores recommended maintenance schedules and it leads to a wreck caused by equipment failure, they are liable for any injuries.

Overloaded or Improperly Loaded Cargo

Some truck accident causes have nothing to do with the driver’s actions. In some cases, a cargo loading company may be to blame. When loaders overload or fail to secure cargo inside a trailer, cargo can shift and cause the driver to lose control. In this situation, the company that loaded the cargo can be held liable by a truck accident attorney.

Weather

Heavy rain, deep snow, and icy roads are common weather conditions in the Chicagoland area. While trucking companies can’t control the weather, they can still be held responsible for weather-related incidents. For example, if a driver knew there was heavy snowfall in an area and refused to spend time putting chains on his tires, they could be held liable for plowing into a passenger vehicle. Additionally, logistics companies that force drivers to keep working in unsafe conditions, like severe thunderstorms, can be held liable for accidents caused by that directive.

Poorly Maintained Roads

In some cases, a lawyer may determine that the city is responsible for your crash. If potholes, poorly marked lanes, or uneven roads caused a truck to hit your car, then city road maintenance departments could be to blame. Sadly, this is a major issue in Chicago, as harsh winters create the perfect conditions for potholes to form.

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How Our Team Proves the Cause of an Accident

At Lane Brown, we go to great lengths to prove who and what led to our client’s injuries. To determine the exact cause of truck accidents throughout the Chicagoland area, we use some or all of the following methods:

• Black box data (event data recorders)
• Driver logs and employment records
• Maintenance reports
• Expert witnesses in trucking, mechanics, and accident reconstruction
• On-site investigations
• Surveillance and dashcam footage

Often, we push for trucking companies and their contractors to hand over this information, as very little of it is publicly available. Using our expertise in the field of trucking accident injury claims, we’re able to compel companies to give us access to dash cams and communication logs. Once we have the information we need, we can quickly determine who is liable and move toward a settlement that covers each of your damages.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Commercial Truck Accident

After determining the cause of a truck accident, we work to pinpoint the liable party. In some cases, there can be multiple liable parties. Some of the entities that can be held liable for your damages include:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• Third-party maintenance providers
• Cargo loaders or shippers
• Vehicle or parts manufacturers

Identifying every liable party increases your chance of securing full compensation. The truck accident lawyers at Lane Brown, LLC know exactly how to identify each responsible party.

Compensation for Big Rig Accident Victims

Victims of truck accidents often suffer life-altering injuries. With the help of a lawyer, you may be entitled to recover:

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost income and diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Wrongful death damages (if a loved one was killed)

Serving Clients in the Chicago Metro Area

Speak to a Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer Today

The days after a truck accident are often confusing and overwhelming. Lane Brown, LLC is here to ensure that you don’t have to go through this difficult time alone. As soon as you can, contact our team for a free consultation. We’ll fight tirelessly to win you the compensation that you need to cover medical bills, vehicle replacements, lost wages, and more. And remember, you don’t have to pay us a cent unless we win. Get the money you need to pay for your recovery. Call Lane Brown Law at 312-332-1400 and get started today.

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Truck Accident Causes FAQ

Can I still file a claim if I partially caused a truck accident?

Yes, the state of Illinois follows a “modified comparative negligence rule” when assigning blame for auto accidents, including truck crashes. Under this rule, anyone who is less than 50% responsible for the crash can file a personal injury claim against the party that bears greater responsibility.

Under this system, damages are modified based on the amount of fault you carry. For instance, say you were found to be 20% responsible for a crash. If you file a claim and receive $50,000 in damages, that final amount would be cut by 20%, or $10,000, leaving you with $40,000 total.

Lastly, it’s helpful to understand what could lead to a partial fault. Generally, any action that contributes to a crash could saddle you with some share of the blame. For example, if you were lightly speeding through an intersection where you had the right of way and a truck driver ran a red light and T-boned you, you could be found partially at fault.

It’s normal to be unsure about your level of fault in a truck crash, but it’s important not to let that uncertainty get in the way of your chance at compensation. If you’re uncertain about whether or not you are eligible to receive compensation, speak to a truck lawyer at Lane Brown, LLC.