By: Jeff D. Stewart, Esq., Stewart Bell, PLLC
Across America, big trucks (those weighing more than 10,000 pounds) are involved, on average, in more than 1,000 accidents each day, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those crashes cause close to 4,000 deaths and more than 100,000 injuries each year.
From a distance, those seem like just numbers. But they represent the lives of people like you and me. Any one of us could become part of those statistics merely by being in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of our own.
One reason for those statistics is that many commercial motor companies pay the drivers of their 18-wheelers by the mile. So the more miles they cover with their big rigs the more they get paid. In some cases, that becomes an incentive to drive too fast or to keep driving too many hours, leading to fatigue. It’s not unusual for speed and fatigue to lead to accidents.
Unfortunately, it’s also not unusual for big trucking companies to have high-powered lawyers who are skilled at negotiating minimum compensation for those were innocent in crashes involving their trucks. That’s why anyone involved in such a crash with a big semi-tractor-trailer also needs skilled legal representation from someone who can get every penny of appropriate compensation. It’s bad enough to become part of truck accident statistics but even worse to get cheated out of fair compensation.
Make sure you get skilled legal representation. Consider calling leaders in the field, such as Stewart Bell, PLLC, of Charleston, which has successfully represented many people in cases of accidents involving trucks. The initial consultation is free, and Stewart Bell, PLLC, gets paid only if the case is successful. We are available around the clock, seven days a week. Call us toll-free at 800-342-1701.
