In dangerous weather, all drivers on the road must exercise additional precautions in order to avoid the risk of a devastating accident. From icy roads to wet and rainy conditions, vehicles may need more room in order to maneuver safely. However, some drivers may not take adequate precautions while out on the road in bad weather—including truck drivers. Bad weather truck accidents in Piscataway can lead to substantial damages.
If you have been injured in an accident in bad weather due to someone else’s negligence, contact our dedicated truck accident attorneys for a free consultation.
Liability in Bad Weather Truck Accidents
Dangerous weather requires a number of adaptations to normal driving behaviors. Drivers may need not only to slow down, but also to allow more following room, to pay more attention to the movement of other vehicles around them, and even to stop or slow down earlier than normal for stop signs and traffic lights. Truck drivers must exercise particular caution, since their larger vehicles can lead to increased accident risk. When they fail to take those essential precautions, they can bear liability for the damages caused by those negligent actions.
Sometimes, however, liability may not rest with the truck driver alone. While truck drivers make final decisions about their behaviors behind the wheel, those decisions may sometimes result from trucking companies pressuring them to meet strict deadlines or to adhere to unrealistic delivery expectations. In many bad weather truck crashes in Piscataway, trucking companies have been found partially liable for encouraging unsafe driving in hazardous conditions, such as urging drivers to meet delivery windows despite snow, rain, or ice.
In addition, bad weather may make problems with the truck more obvious, especially if the brakes or steering have issues. In those cases, the manufacturer of the truck or the damaged component may bear liability for an accident caused by those problems.
Evidence in Bad Weather Truck Accidents
The investigation process following bad weather truck accidents can prove particularly complex. Truck accident claims often involve an extensive investigation of the circumstances that led up to the accident as well as the accident itself. Lawyers and insurance companies may look at truck logbooks, the truck driver’s statements, and the company’s policies to better determine all factors that may have contributed to the accident. Following bad weather accidents in Piscataway, lawyers and insurance companies may further examine elements of safe driving in bad weather, as well as taking a look at the damage patterns on the vehicles. Sometimes, an expert witness may be needed to determine who bears liability for an accident.
Damages in Bad Weather Truck Accidents
Following bad weather truck wrecks in Piscataway, many people have to seek compensation from the party that caused the accident—in most cases, the insurance company that covers the truck driver. Those claims will include compensation for the damages sustained by the injured party: not just the cost of medical treatment, but also any wage losses suffered because of their injuries. Bad weather truck accident claims also include compensation for a category called general damages, which includes the suffering faced by the injured person. Working with a lawyer can prove essential to establishing the compensation deserved, including all elements the injured person may need to include.
Contact a Lawyer in Piscataway Following Your Bad Weather Truck Accident
Following bad weather truck accidents in Piscataway, do not try to handle your claim on your own. Instead, reach out to a lawyer who could guide you through the claim process and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
At Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC, we have helped our clients recover substantial compensation for the losses faced because of dangerous trucks and other devastating acts of negligence. Contact us today for your free consultation.
