NEGLIGENT TRAINING
TRUCKING ACCIDENTS

Trucking companies and drivers may be negligent in their duties, and can be sued for endangering motorists and passengers on the road. A lawsuit against these companies for endangerment gains recovery for those who have suffered from negligence of drivers.

Yes, filing a lawsuit following a trucking accident can help recover medical costs and other damages. A trucking company may be liable for a negligent driver, overloading cargo, failing to maintain vehicles, overworking drivers, and for other road violations.

When a truck is overloaded, a driver will have less control over their rig. With added weight, there will be less maneuverability and less ability to brake properly. The stopping distance will increase for any vehicle with added weight.  If a rig is overloaded enough, the brakes may even fail. Tire blowouts will be more common as well with overloaded trucks.

A report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), found that U.S. motor vehicle deaths increased 7.7 percent nationwide in 2015. Driver fatigue is a likely cause for many of the accidents. The problem has become so serious that safety agencies have expanded their definitions of impaired driving to include drowsy drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2013, drowsy driving was responsible for 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths.

These statistics are likely underestimated. When a crash occurs, most drowsy drivers do not report the cause due to concerns about insurance, employment or legal consequences. About 23 percent of adults say they know someone personally who has crashed due to falling asleep at the wheel. Approximately eleven million drivers admit they have had an accident or a near miss because they were too tired to drive.

 Other common causes of Ohio accidents include:

• Vehicle brake problems
• Truck traveling too fast for conditions
• Driver unfamiliar with roadway
• Roadway problems
• Driver intoxicated with illegal or over-the-counter drugs
• Driver inattention
• Driver made illegal maneuver
• Driver distraction
• Truck tire problems
• Driver following too close
• Cargo overloading
• Driver intoxicated with alcohol

The best way to determine the cause of an accident you are involve in is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to investigate with the assistance of accident experts. If a serious injury has resulted, victims are likely to be compensated for property damages, medical costs, lost past and future earnings, and pain and suffering.

Trucking employers and transport companies are accountable for their drivers and their on-road behavior. If trucking management overworks their drivers or is aware of their drowsy driving and fatigue, they can be liable for contributing to an unsafe working environment and dangerous roadways.

There are more than 15 million commercial trucks transporting over 70 percent of all U.S. goods every year. Commercial trucks—delivery tractor trailers, busses, big-rigs and semi-trucks—are very heavy and difficult vehicles to control. A small amount of inattention or fatigue can result in fatal accidents. If an accident occurs in part because a driver was fatigued, trucking companies and drivers may be liable for damages and sued for endangering other vehicle occupants on the road.

Driver fatigue, or physical or mental exertion that impairs performance, may be due to a lack of sleep, extended work hours, strenuous work or non-work activities, or substance related.

One study published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that 13 percent of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers were fatigued at the time of their last accident. The Truck Crash Causation Study reported over 12,000 commercial truck crashes over a span of about three years, which resulted in more than 249 deaths and 1,654 injuries.

To maximize their load and profit, trucking companies often push the limits of safety with their cargo. Transportation companies overload their trucks intentionally or accidentally. But in the end, the result can be the same, because overloaded trucks pose a risk to Ohio motorists.

Trucking companies may take more risks than you are aware of, and when accidents and injuries occur, they must be help accountable for their actions.

As a plaintiff injured by a truck accident, you may require an attorney to recover driver logs and cargo records to determine if the truck in question was overloaded.

Our Firm will help you find the answers.  The Firm has the experience, resources and dedication to take on difficult and emotional cases and help our clients obtain the justice for the wrong they have suffered. 

 Experience:  Joe Lyon is an experienced Cincinnati Personal Injury & Accident Lawyer. The Lyon Firm has 17 years of experience and success representing individuals and plaintiffs in all fifty states, and in a variety of complex civil litigation matters. Accident lawsuits can be complex and require industry experts to determine the root cause of an accident or injury. Mr. Lyon has worked with experts nationwide to assist individuals understand why an injury occurred and what can be done to improve their lives in the future. Some cases may go to a jury trial, though many others can be settled out of court.

Resources/Dedication: Mr. Lyon has worked with experts in the fields of accident reconstruction, biomechanics, epidemiology, metallurgy, pharmacology, toxicology, human factors, workplace safety, life care planning, economics, and virtually every medical discipline in successfully representing Plaintiffs across numerous areas of law. The Lyon Firm is dedicated to building the strongest cases possible for clients and their critical interests.

Results:  Mr. Lyon has obtained numerous seven and six figure results in personal injury,  automotive product liability, medical Negligence, construction accidents, and auto dealership negligence cases.  The cases have involved successfully litigating against some of  the largest companies in the world