Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
On some days, trucks seem like a constant presence on Illinois roadways, winding their way from one spot to another and keeping to themselves. They may inconvenience other drivers who get stuck behind them or who wish the truck would move a little quicker but mostly, they present a minor issue or annoyance. This can change in moment, however, if a truck accident takes place in Chicago or elsewhere in the state. In those cases, the lives of the motorists and passengers involved may be altered forever by the fallout from the collision and from any injuries that result.
Truck accidents are less common than car crashes but the harm that spreads from truck collisions may cause a greater amount of devastation. A typical truck is large, heavy, and difficult t slow or stop which means that it is capable of doing great damage to another vehicle – particularly if that other vehicle is smaller and lighter, like a car, truck, or SUV.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 104,000 people were injured in collisions with large trucks in 2012. Tragically, another 3,921 people lost their lives in those crashes and the majority of those who were killed were not inside the truck at the time of the accident. Those in passenger vehicles, on bicycles or motorcycles, and even pedestrians bear a substantially risk of death when a crash with a large truck, defined as one weighing 10,000 pounds or more, takes place. Both the number of people who were injured and the number of individuals who lost their lives increased in 2012 when compared with 2011 data.
In 62 percent of truck accidents, the front end of the truck struck another vehicle while the rear end of the truck was involved in only 20 percent of collisions. Much less common were incidents where the right or left side of a truck either struck or was struck by a second vehicle with these two types of incidents combining to represent 18 percent of collisions that year.
Possibly most surprising, 78 percent of all fatal truck accidents in 2012 occurred on weekdays and of those, 73 percent occurred between 6:00 a.m. and 5:59 p.m. This means that if a typical fatal crash exists, it happens during daylight hours on a weekday on any road in America.
What are the victims of these incidents supposed to do? If you have been faced with a truck collision, you know the legal implications can be daunting. Any attempt you make to obtain relief must be initiated within a certain time period to be valid and you must follow all applicable laws to obtain any relief. Working with a personal injury attorney in Chicago can greatly help you ensure you are protected and that your rights are preserved so that you can focus on what really matters: getting well and returning to your pre-accident state.
If you have questions about your legal options following a truck collision or if someone you love lost their lives in a crash, call the legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. today. We offer a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation to victims and their loved ones and we do it while keeping everything discussed confidential. Further, if we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf and we will advance all case-related expenses that arise in your claim.
If you have been hurt, it is your right to retain a lawyer to help you fight for the relief you deserve. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. now and let us put our experience to work for you.
Prior Blog Entry:
Why Are People Driving Drunk in Chicago?, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published March 29, 2016.
Resource:
Traffic Safety Facts, 2012 Data, Large Trucks, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, published May 2014.