When a large commercial truck is involved in an accident, the resulting injuries can often be fatal. This is because drivers and passengers of smaller passenger vehicles have very little protection from the giant trucks, which are often full of heavy cargo and may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Furthermore, truck accidents often affect multiple motor vehicles and therefore may cause multiple casualties in a single accident. If you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, nothing can ever fully make up for that loss. However, in the wake of the loss, you are likely facing extensive medical bills, funeral costs, loss of household income or other contributions, and other financial losses in addition to your grief. A Coweta County truck accident attorney can help you file a wrongful death claim against the responsible party so you may be able to recover for these losses.
Statistics show that fatalities in truck accidents are more common than fatalities in regular motor vehicle accidents. For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that while only 5% of all accidents involve trucks, truck accident fatalities account for 12% of all motor vehicle fatalities. Furthermore, truck accidents usually result in multiple fatalities. FMCSA statistics show that in 2011, 3,757 people died in 3,341 truck accidents. This shows that hundreds of truck accidents involved more than one fatality. Overall, over ten people were killed every day in 2011 in the United States due to large commercial truck accidents.
Victims of fatal truck accidents may not bring cases against the responsible parties because, in the United States, deceased people may not file lawsuits. However, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death lawsuit and still pursue justice for the death of their loved one. If you have lost a family member, do not hesitate to call Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656 for help. A dedicated truck accident lawyer is here to help you in this difficult time.