Ohio Truck Accident Help
A Division of Ohio Truck Accident
Common Causes of Ohio Truck Accidents
Crashes involving large commercial trucks are often serious because of their size, cargo, and speed. This risk of injury and death is only enhanced when the truck driver is impaired.
Like passenger vehicles, truckers must follow strict regulations regarding alcohol or drug use. If you or a loved one were injured or killed by an intoxicated truck driver, holding the party who caused your accident accountable and recovering the compensation you are entitled to by law is important. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help.
Call (855) 721-2737 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-risk consultation.
Driving commercial vehicles is a stressful job. Carriers often pressure truckers to drive long distances in as little time as possible while traveling among passenger cars on the highway. Some truck drivers may attempt to deal with the stress by using substances, legal or otherwise.
While drivers are expected to be operating large commercial trucks with clear minds, there are instances where they will use substances while driving their trucks, endangering fellow drivers.
Truck drivers are expected to operate under a zero-tolerance policy: no alcohol while on duty, in their trucks, or even within hours of working on their trucks.
Although some drivers may feel drowsy after driving long routes, they are prohibited from taking stimulants.
Truckers also have a lower permitted Blood Alcohol Content limit. Passenger vehicle drivers in Ohio can drive with a BAC under 0.08. Even though the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says they shouldn’t have any alcohol, truck drivers have half that limit at 0.04, which they can reach within two drinks.
It’s not uncommon for truck drivers operating semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, or 18-wheelers to be found abusing drugs and drinking.
The commonly abused drugs by truck drivers include:
To pursue compensation from the impaired driver and their insurance company after a truck crash, you’ll need to prove the driver was negligent for causing the collision.
You’ll need to show they owed you a duty of care on the road, their actions breached that duty of care, which resulted in your injuries, and the nature and extent of your injuries.
When truck drivers get behind the wheel of their large commercial vehicles, they’re committing to driving safely. However, if they’ve been drinking or using illicit substances before causing a crash, they’re breaching that duty of driving safely. A lawyer with experience in truck cases can explain the nuances of securing what you’re entitled to.
The first step is to prove that the truck driver was operating the vehicle while under the influence. Law enforcement responding to the crash may be able to do this with field sobriety tests to check reaction times or by using a breathalyzer device.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck drivers must also submit to a drug test after a crash when there is a fatality, an injury or if there was enough damage to disable a vehicle.
Some trucks also have electronic data recorders that can record data relevant to the truck’s operations, like speed, throttle position, and engine usage. While a drug or urinalysis test may prove if a trucker was operating under the influence, an EDR can bolster your claim after a crash, along with any police reports or witness statements.
A knowledgeable attorney can pursue and secure evidence to prove your claim after an investigation.
If an impaired truck driver injured you or a loved one in a crash, you are entitled to pursue compensation for your financial losses. Your lawyer can help you document and recover your losses, both economic and non-economic.
Through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit, Ohio Truck Accident Help will aggressively pursue max compensation for your:
In many cases, truck accident cases are settled out of court. However, you cannot expect a quick or easy process.
Insurance companies work hard to reduce what they owe by trying to claim the trucker wasn’t intoxicated or at fault. While a settlement may be ideal, you might need to file a lawsuit to present the evidence of the other driver’s impairment to regain everything you’re owed.
Truck accidents are complicated. There are several liable parties, but obtaining evidence of a driver’s impairment can be tricky. The legal team at Ohio Truck Accident Help is dedicated to protecting truck crash victims from the trucking companies’ methods and practices. Let us work with you to recover your compensation and hold those at fault accountable.
Call (855) 721-2737 to schedule your consultation or use our online form.