Truck drivers, due to the larger vehicles they operate, must exercise extra care on the road to avoid the risk of an accident. In fact, they may face more stringent requirements than the drivers of passenger vehicles, including the need to pass a CDL exam. In addition, truck drivers must follow the laws that govern other interactions on the road—including avoiding texting and driving. Texting and driving truck accidents in Piscataway can lead to substantial injuries and claims with high damages. If you suffered injuries in an accident with a distracted truck driver, reach out to a talented truck accident attorney to discuss your right to compensation.
The Challenges Posed by Texting and Driving Big Trucks
Distraction behind the wheel can pose a serious danger for any driver. However, big truck drivers need more time to react to potential changes on the road, including the movement of other vehicles around them. Distraction for those drivers can prove even more devastating.
Texting and driving, unfortunately, poses a severe risk of distraction. While some activities drivers choose to engage in may require only one type of distraction, texting typically includes all three.
- Visual: The driver’s eyes leave the road to focus on their phone
- Manual: The driver must take at least one hand off the wheel in order to text and drive
- Cognitive: The driver focuses on the content of the text messages, not on the task of driving
As a result, when truck drivers in Piscataway choose to text and drive, they can quickly end up off track, and that can mean serious accidents that often result in severe injuries.
Compensation Following Texting and Driving Truck Accidents
Because texting truck drivers may cause such severe injuries in an accident, it can mean high claim amounts. Following a truck accident with a driver who chose to text, injured individuals may have the right to claim compensation for both financial and non-financial damages related to the accident. Those claims generally include compensation for:
- Wage losses when the injured person cannot go back to work
- Pain and suffering, including physical and emotional distress
- Any medical costs related to treatment for injuries sustained in the accident
- Lost earning potential, if the injuries cause a permanent inability to go back to work
- Anticipated future medical expenses, if the injured person requires ongoing medical care and support
The texting truck driver does not necessarily have to receive a citation for distracted driving in order for the injured person to recover compensation. Often, texting while driving will cause the truck driver to engage in a range of other potentially dangerous behaviors, from drifting outside their assigned lane of traffic to rear-ending another vehicle. Establishing those negligent acts can serve as adequate evidence in texting and driving truck accident claims in Piscataway. However, if the texting truck driver does receive a citation, the injured person can use that as evidence to establish liability for the accident.
Contact an Attorney After Texting and Driving Truck Accidents in Piscataway
Texting and driving truck accidents in Piscataway may lead to a complicated claim process, not only because the injured individual may sustain severe injuries, but also because establishing liability can prove difficult. Working with a truck accident lawyer could make it easier for the injured person to recover the compensation they deserve, from providing assistance with those vital interactions with the insurance company to ensuring that the injured person knows what compensation they deserve.
Contact Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC today for your free consultation.
