Commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, and big rigs are essential parts of the economy. These huge vehicles travel the nation’s roads and highways. When driven safely, a big rig is no different from other vehicles. When truckers are careless, negligent, or distracted, their vehicles become 80,000-pound catastrophes.
Distracted driving truck accidents in Clark are a major cause of serious injuries and fatalities. Recent studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have shown that distracted driving is second only to drunk driving in causing motor vehicle accidents. If you suffered injuries in an accident that resulted from a truck driver’s use of a texting device or from some other distraction, our experienced truck accident attorneys at Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC, can help you get the compensation you need.
What Is Distracted Truck Driving?
Distracted driving results when something takes a motorist’s attention away from the road. NHTSA and insurance company studies have found that even though motorists believe they can talk, eat, or put on makeup while driving, once their attention leaves the road, their driving ability suffers.
When a trucker’s speed on the highway in Clark is 75 miles per hour, anything that distracts them can cause a fatal crash. Common distractions for truckers include texting while driving (which is the number one cause of distracted driving accidents today), fatigue or sleepiness from illegally avoiding rest breaks, and the presence of radios, TVs, and tablets in the cab. While drunk driving and substance abuse may contribute to accidents, they are not considered distractions. They are separate causes of accidents.
Proving Distraction Caused Your Accident
Proving that a big rig driver who caused a Clark collision was distracted can be difficult. Attorneys can use blood alcohol level tests to prove intoxication, but proving someone was texting while they were driving can be more complicated.
Our attorneys at Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC, know what to look for when handling a commercial vehicle accident case. We will review all the evidence from your accident site, such as photos of it and witnesses’ statements. People at the site may have seen the driver before the accident and know whether the individual was on their phone before it occurred.
Electronic Logging Devices
It is essential for a commercial vehicle accident victim to contact an attorney as soon as they can. Since 2018, all commercial trucks have been required to carry electronic logging devices (ELDs), which are similar to airplane flight recorders. An ELD records the trucker’s actions (including the breaks they take and their driving performance) and things that happen to the truck (including maintenance).
Attorneys can request these data logs as part of their legal actions, but must act quickly. Unless a truck’s owner receives notice of a lawsuit, they can delete the logs after six months. Because we need this critical information when we handle distracted driving truck crash cases, we encourage potential clients to call us as soon as possible after their accidents.
Call Our Clark Attorneys After a Distracted Driving Truck Wreck
Distracted driving truck accidents in Clark can result in major injuries. If you sustained injuries in this type of crash, you deserve the chance to prove it was the trucker’s fault and to request the maximum compensation under the law. Our attorneys at Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC, want to help you get that chance.
Call us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation. We will review your case and advise you on how to proceed with your claim. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there is no cost to you until we settle or win your case.
