The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issues regulations that govern many aspects of trucking operations to help keep our roads safe. However, truck accidents still happen daily in the Chicago area, and catastrophic injuries often result.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries. However, you must be able to prove the cause of your accident.
There could be numerous causes of truck accidents in Chicago. At Meyers & Flowers, our Chicago truck accident attorneys carefully investigate each accident to help identify all possible causes and liable parties to help ensure you recover maximum compensation.
Leading Causes of Truck Accidents in Chicago
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Chicago include:
- Driver fatigue. Truck drivers are often on the road for long periods. Even though federal regulations limit their hours of service and mandate rest periods, some drivers disregard these regulations to meet unreasonable expectations and schedules.
- Speeding. Truck drivers may exceed the speed limit in an attempt to meet a strict deadline, increasing the risk of causing an accident.
- Distracted driving. Being on the road for extended periods can become tedious. Many truck drivers spend time talking or texting on phones, eating, and engaging in other activities that take their eyes and minds off the road and their hands off the wheel.
- Improper cargo loading. If a truck is overloaded or the cargo is not correctly loaded and secured, it can become unstable, causing the driver to lose control, or the cargo may spill onto the road, resulting in catastrophic accidents.
- Equipment failure. When equipment suddenly fails during operation, tragic accidents can result. Equipment may fail due to negligent maintenance or defective products.
- Inadequate training. If truck drivers do not receive proper training, they are more likely to be involved in an accident.
- Driving under the influence. While it may be shocking to think that someone would get behind the wheel of a massive truck after drinking alcohol or consuming other substances, it does happen. Driving under the influence certainly increases the chances of an accident happening.
- Dangerous roads. Some roads have dangerous designs, and others may be negligently maintained. Poor road conditions can contribute to the cause of an accident.
Determining the cause of a truck accident in Chicago is essential to building your strongest case and helping you recover top compensation. Our Chicago personal injury attorneys leave no stone unturned in identifying causation and liability to help you get the justice you deserve.
Liability in Truck Accidents in Chicago
Liability depends on the cause of your accident and the federal regulations in Illinois. Some potentially liable parties in a truck accident in Chicago may include the driver, the trucking company, a negligent maintenance or repair business, and cargo loading entities.
Other potentially liable parties may include the manufacturer of a defective product, a government entity responsible for designing or maintaining dangerous roads, another driver, or a negligent employment screening company.
At Meyers & Flowers, our attorneys scrutinize the details of your accident to help identify all potentially liable parties and maximize the sources of compensation to pay your damages.
Consult an Experienced Chicago Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you have been injured in a truck accident in Chicago, you may be able to recover significant compensation for your damages. However, insurance companies and defense attorneys will go to work immediately after your accident to deny or devalue your claim. You need an experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer with a proven record of success.
At Meyers & Flowers, our attorneys have secured over $6 billion in client verdicts and settlements, and we want to help you recover maximum compensation for your damages. Call (630) 280-3771 or visit our contact page and schedule a free consultation to discuss your Chicago truck accident claim.