Consult a Columbus truck accident attorney can do a lot for your claim linked to truck driver negligence. He or she may gather evidence that helps establish the cause of the accident and who may be responsible, and is often helpful in obtaining a fair settlement from the insurance company.
The lawyer may also work with experts when establishing the cause of the accident and the compensation to which you may be entitled. Because of their large size, trucks have the potential to cause a lot of damage, and the cost to repair property damage and receive medical treatment can quickly add up.
Truck accidents can be caused by a number of factors, some of which are out of anyone's control. However, if you were recently injured in an accident because of the negligence of the driver, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your losses. Some examples of accident causes or contributing factors are below.
Alcohol and Substance Use
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), approximately 44 percent of truck accidents involved drivers that had taken legal prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Illegal drug use or alcohol use was found to be associated with just over 3 percent of truck accidents.
Drivers may take medication prescribed by a physician determined not to interfere with the driver’s safe operation of the vehicle. Of course, like anybody else, they may not take illegal drugs.
Companies must test drivers for illegal drugs and alcohol periodically, and following an accident in which a fatality has occurred. In Georgia, it is illegal for truck drivers to operate a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .04 percent or higher; this is half of the standard legal limit.
If you are involved in a truck accident, the police may order an alcohol and/or drug screening test to determine if use of a controlled substance caused the accident. If any alcohol or drugs are found in the driver's system, this may help your Columbus truck accident attorney prove liability.
Inattention to Blind Spots
Because trucks are larger than other passenger vehicles, they have a much larger blind spot. If a car is traveling where the truck driver cannot see it, and the driver fails to watch the blind spots, it could cause an accident because of driver error. Such an error may assign blame for the accident to the truck driver.