Gillette Truck Accident Lawyers

Our Legal Team Knows How to Handle Gillette Trucking Accident Cases

Truck drivers share the road with us every day, but when they make mistakes, even for an instant, the results can be catastrophic. Truck drivers have to follow certain rules to operate their vehicles safely. When companies push their drivers to break these rules and maximize profits, the rest of us suffer.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck in Campbell County, you’re looking at an uphill battle. Trucking companies have lawyers to fight for them, and they don’t want to pay for serious injuries. You deserve to have someone fighting to get you the money you need to recover. Call Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., at (307) 257-7800 for a free case strategy session with a Gillette vehicle accident attorney.

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Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen for different reasons; some are specific to large trucks, while others are possible for any type of vehicle on the road. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Driver fatigue: While all drivers can experience fatigue, the long hours worked by many truck drivers makes them particularly vulnerable to drowsy driving.
• Lack of maintenance: Trucking companies must keep their vehicles maintained with regular inspections and service, but many companies skip this step to cut costs. One bad tire is all it takes to cause a multi-vehicle crash.
• Defective parts: Manufacturers might provide the truck with defective or flawed parts. If that’s the cause of the accident, the manufacturer may be legally responsible for paying damages.
• Driver distraction: Distracted driving is one of the "fatal four" main causes of fatal vehicle accidents, and truckers are no exception to the lure of smartphones.
• Speeding: Truckers may be pushed to drive too fast to make it to their destination early or on time, which greatly increases the chance of an accident (and makes accidents much worse when they do occur).

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Types of Truck Accidents

Some types of accidents are unique to tractor-trailers, though they can also be involved in crashes common to any other vehicle:

• Jackknife accidents: When a tractor-trailer jackknifes, the trailer folds in on the cab at an acute angle, similar to a pocketknife. This can happen when the truck loses control or starts to skid. The trailer will continue pushing forward into the cab. Jackknifing can occur for a number of reasons. In Wyoming, one of the leading causes is bad weather conditions. In the winter months, our highways can be extremely slick due to ice and snow. Jackknifing can occur due to equipment failure or driver error as well. The heavier the load in the back of the truck is, the more likely it is to jackknife.
• Underride accidents: When another vehicle strikes a truck, the front end can go partially or completely under the rear or side of the trailer. This is incredibly dangerous for the driver and passengers in the smaller vehicle.
• Rollovers: The large size and weight of commercial trucks makes them particularly vulnerable to rollover accidents. These accidents create a lot of debris and machinery flying out of control, presenting serious dangers to others on the road.
• Other collisions: Trucks are not immune to more mundane accidents, such as rear-enders, sideswipes, and head-on collisions. These "regular" collisions are much more serious when 80,000-pound trucks are involved.

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Trucking Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration places strict limits on how many hours a trucker can drive during a day and over the course of a week. These regulations are in place to make sure truck drivers stay rested and focused behind the wheel. When truckers ignore these regulations, or are pushed to do so by the company they work for, and they cause an accident, this can make the truck driver and the company liable for injuries and damages to their victims.

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Contact a Tough Gillette Truck Accident Lawyer

After any Campbell County truck accident, contact Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., to put our truck accident attorneys to work for you. Call (307) 257-7800 to tell us what happened in a free consultation and discuss how we can fight to hold those who harmed you responsible for their actions.

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Additional Information

• Large Truck Blind Spots and How They Cause Accidents
• Trucker Braking Practices That Prevent Catastrophes
• How The Trucking Industry Endangers Wyoming Drivers
• Wyoming Department of Transportation
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration