Big rigs get involved in catastrophic accidents, which can severely injure the occupants of smaller vehicles on the road. Most truck drivers are hard working, dedicated and skilled individuals who do everything they can to prevent traffic problems. Unfortunately, some big rig accidents are caused by vehicle defects the drivers couldn’t have known about. Although you can’t do anything to prevent these defects, you can take certain steps to protect yourself while sharing the road with big rigs.
Common Defects found in Big Rigs
Any part of a vehicle has the potential to be defectively designed or manufactured. Accidents caused by a defect most often involve a problem with one of the following:
- Brakes
- Tires
- Fuel tanks
- Wiring
- Accelerator pads
When the defective vehicle in question is a large, heavy tractor-trailer, the implications can be quite serious. When big rigs cause accidents, the resulting damage and injuries are often disastrous. Most often, the party responsible for the defect is one of the following:
- The truck manufacturer
- The trucking company
Our lawyers have the experience necessary to determine who is ultimately responsible for the factors that caused the crash.
Types of Big Rigs
Knowing the different types of big rigs can provide useful insight about the cause of your accident. Depending on the type, there may be some characteristic of the vehicle that ultimately contributed to your wreck. One way to classify big rigs is by size and weight:
- Medium trucks: Trucks weighing between 14,001 and 26,000 lbs are generally considered medium trucks. Examples include box trucks, commercial vans, RVs, fire trucks, tow trucks and flatbed trucks.
- Heavy trucks: Trucks weighing between 26,001 lbs to over 33,000 lbs are considered heavy trucks, such as cement mixers, cranes, dump trucks, trash haulers and refrigerator trucks.
- Super tractor trailers or very heavy trucks: This category includes trucks designed for off-road use, such as hauling trucks, ALMA transporters, ballast tractors and other large-scale construction vehicles.
The truck accident lawyers at Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers have an extensive understanding of different types of accidents. Regardless of whether the other party is a construction company, driver, truck manufacturer or someone else, we can fight for compensation on your behalf.
How You Can Drive Safely around Big Rigs
Although you can’t always avoid an accident, there are things you can do to prevent a crash with a big rig:
- Remain visible
- Don’t pass on the right
- Don’t cut off a truck
- Don’t tailgate
- Expect wide right turns
- Use your turn signals
These measures can be valuable when you are driving near big rigs, such as on an interstate highway.
Will Dash Cam Footage Help Your Big Rig Case?
In Arkansas and nationwide, mounted dashboard video cameras, or “dash cams,” have become a noteworthy vehicle accessory for drivers who love to fill their cars or trucks with the latest high-tech gadgets. But our experienced attorneys know that dash cams can be far more than a novelty.
If you were in an accident and there’s dash cam footage, you may think you have a legal slam dunk. However, truck accident cases are particularly complex. That’s why you need a personal injury attorney who knows all aspects of this area of the law.
Many big rigs also have dashboard cameras these days in addition to rearview cameras, a move that can only make our roads safer. As more and more dash cameras enter the highways, the practical reasons for having one become ever more apparent.
Here are five reasons you might consider installing a dash cam in your car or truck:
Prove Liability – The cost of traffic tickets can be exorbitant. Plus, they put points on your driver’s license and increase your insurance rates. Your dash cam footage may be your best defense in traffic court when you have been ticketed in error.
Witness to Criminal Acts – Whether it is a negligent or reckless truck driver who fails to secure his load, or a case of road rage that escalates to violence, dash cams have already been indispensible in providing evidence in these cases.
Fight Insurance Fraud – Clear evidence that supports your claim in the form of video footage is an effective way to prove your case if your claim is denied. If another driver is trying to commit insurance fraud, your camera footage might be the evidence needed to prove the case—protecting your assets and keeping everyone’s rates down.
Earn Insurance Discounts – Although not all insurance companies offer discounts if you have a dash cam, more companies are beginning to see the value in these devices and offering incentives.
Dashboard camera setups are less expensive than ever before. A single traffic ticket will likely cost you more than a high-end system with HD quality video and embedded GPS data. When you consider that the evidence from your investment could be the evidence you need to prove your case in an accident that caused serious injuries to you or your loved ones, the initial costs seem paltry.
Finally, if you already have a dash cam, you shouldn’t try to determine the value of your own claim after a car or truck accident. Our truck accident attorneys help injured clients across Arkansas fight for justice and fair compensation for their crash expenses.
For a free case evaluation with our experienced accident lawyers in Arkansas, please call Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers at (888) 220-7068. We are passionate about serving as advocates for the victims of these catastrophic accidents.
