Nashville Truck Accident Attorney

Common Types of Truck Accidents

A truck accident involves a collision or crash involving a commercial truck, such as a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or large delivery vehicle. These accidents can have severe consequences due to the size and weight of the truck compared to passenger vehicles.

Common types of truck accidents include:

• Rear-End Collisions: Occur when a truck hits the vehicle in front of it. This type of accident can result from sudden stops or driver inattention.
• Jackknife Accidents: Happen when a truck's trailer swings out to the side of the truck, forming a shape similar to a folding knife. This can occur due to sudden braking or slippery road conditions.
• Rollover Accidents: When a truck tips over onto its side or roof. This can be caused by sharp turns, uneven loads, or high speeds.
• Wide Turn Accidents: Occur when a truck makes a wide turn and collides with another vehicle or object. These accidents often happen at intersections or while navigating tight spaces.
• Side-Impact Collisions (T-Bone Accidents): Involve a truck hitting the side of another vehicle, often at an intersection. These can be particularly dangerous for passengers in the struck vehicle.
• Underride Accidents: Happen when a smaller vehicle slides under the rear or side of a truck. This often results from a truck suddenly stopping or a vehicle failing to notice a stationary truck.
• Head-On Collisions: When a truck collides with another vehicle head-on. These accidents are often severe due to the impact force.
• Cargo Spills: Occur when the truck’s cargo becomes dislodged and spills onto the road. This can create hazardous conditions for other drivers and lead to secondary accidents.
• Lost Load Accidents: Happen when cargo falls off the truck, creating obstacles or debris on the roadway.
• Mechanical Failure Accidents: Result from issues with the truck's parts, such as brake failure or tire blowouts, which can lead to loss of control and accidents.

Federal Trucking Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the trucking industry in the United States to ensure safety and reduce the risk of truck accidents. Here are key FMCSA regulations related to truck accidents:

• Hours of Service (HOS) Regulations: The FMCSA's HOS regulations limit the driving hours for truck drivers to prevent fatigue. Drivers can operate a vehicle for up to 11 hours after a 10-hour rest and must take a 30-minute break within the first 8 hours of driving.
• Vehicle Maintenance and Inspections: Trucks must undergo regular maintenance and inspections to ensure they remain in safe operating condition. Drivers are required to perform and document inspections before and after trips to prevent mechanical failures.
• Driver Qualifications: Truck drivers must hold a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and pass a DOT medical exam to ensure they are fit for duty. These requirements help guarantee that drivers have the necessary skills and health to operate commercial vehicles safely.
• Drug and Alcohol Testing: Drivers must pass drug and alcohol tests before employment and are subject to random testing during their employment. Post-accident testing is required to determine if substance use contributed to an accident.
• Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs): The FMCSA mandates the use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) to track and record driving hours and duty status. ELDs automate the logging process to ensure compliance with HOS regulations.
• Cargo Securement: Proper cargo securement is required to prevent cargo from shifting or falling during transport. This regulation ensures that loads are safely secured to avoid accidents caused by moving or falling cargo.
• Accident Reporting: Trucking companies must report certain accidents to the FMCSA, including those with fatalities or serious injuries. This helps in documenting and investigating accidents to improve overall safety.
• Insurance Requirements: The FMCSA sets minimum insurance requirements for trucking companies to cover damages in the event of an accident. These requirements ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to handle potential claims.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?

Like other types of motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents can and do occur due to a wide variety of factors. Often, these collisions come down to truck driver negligence—but this is not always the case.

Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Distracted driving, including texting, using a cell phone, or looking at a GPS device
• Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
• Fatigued driving, often as a result of hours-of-service violations
• Speeding, reckless driving, aggressive driving, and road rage
• Driving too fast for weather/road conditions
• Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo
• Lack of or inadequate truck maintenance or repairs
• Pressure to meet strict deadlines, delivery schedules, and quarterly quotas
• Truck defects, such as defective tires, braking systems, reflective strips, and engine parts
• Negligent third parties, such as other motorists on the road

Determining how the accident happened is important, but it can also be exceedingly difficult. It is important that you contact an attorney right away so they can begin investigating the accident and determining what factors contributed to or caused the crash.

The sooner you contact The Roth Firm, LLC, the sooner our Nashville truck accident attorney can begin building your case. In Tennessee, you only have one year from the date of the accident to bring a claim (in most cases). Don’t wait until it’s too late! Reach out to our firm today to learn how we can help you with your case.

Who Is Responsible for Your Damages?

Truck accident cases are much more complex than most standard car accident claims for many reasons, primarily the issue of liability. It can be very challenging to determine who is liable for your injuries and damages after a truck accident, but our Nashville truck accident attorneys have the experience, skills, and resources to uncover all possible avenues of compensation.

Depending on the specific facts of your situation, any of the following parties may be partly or wholly responsible for your damages:

• The trucking company
• The truck driver
• The party responsible for truck maintenance or repairs
• The person or entity that loaded or unloaded the truck’s cargo
• A manufacturer
• A construction company
• Another motorist or third party

Trucking companies and other liable entities have large legal teams to defend them against accident and injury claims—you should have one, too.

Our team knows how to go up against national trucking companies, major manufacturers, and other powerful entities to fight for you and your rights. We are committed to pursuing justice and the full, fair compensation our clients are owed.

Fighting for Maximum Recovery for You

When you choose The Roth Firm, LLC to represent you in your truck accident claim, you get a team of experienced attorneys and support staff dedicated to helping you obtain the best available settlement in as little time as possible.

We understand your need for financial relief after a serious truck accident, which is why our lawyers fight to recover compensation for all your damages, including:

• Emergency medical care
• Hospitalization
• Ongoing and future treatment
• Lost income/wages
• Pain and suffering
• Lost earning ability/disability
• Future earnings
• Emotional and mental anguish

If your loved one was killed in a trucking accident in Nashville or anywhere in Davidson County, we can help you bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the liable party and seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and loss of love, support, companionship, and guidance.

While we strive for swift, favorable settlements, we also realize that some cases must proceed to trial. We prepare every case for litigation to stay one step ahead of the other side. With past experience in insurance defense, our attorneys understand the challenges you are up against and know how to effectively counter the opposing side’s tactics. We are ready to fight for you.

No Fees Unless We Win

The Roth Firm, LLC offers dedicated legal representation to victims of all types of large truck and commercial vehicle accidents. We provide our services on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no out-of-pocket costs for you, and our team only collects attorney fees if/when we secure a settlement or verdict for you.

Visit our Nashville office or request a free consultation in your home or at the hospital today. We are happy to travel to you if needed.

Call (404) 777-4899 or contact us online to learn more.