Accidents caused by distracted truckers kill and injure people every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 400,000 people suffered injuries due to distracted drivers and over 3,100 died in a recent year. Because commercial trucks are so much larger than passenger vehicles, serious injuries tend to result from semi-truck accidents.
If you were injured in an accident with a distracted truck driver in Dothan, Alabama, an experienced Dothan truck accident lawyer can help. Parker Trial Law has a proven track record of obtaining significant compensation for our clients. If you’ve been hurt in a truck driver distracted driving accident, contact Parker Trial Law immediately to get started with a free consultation.
How a Distracted Driver Truck Accident Attorney Can Help with Your Claim
Truck distracted driving accidents often cause life-changing injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, damaged spinal cords, and broken bones. If you were hurt in an accident with a distracted truck driver, calling Parker Trial Law has many advantages, including:
- We don’t take lowball settlement offers. Insurance companies know we will demand maximum compensation.
- We have a history of obtaining significant jury verdicts and settlements for our clients.
- We treat every client like family.
- We return all calls promptly.
- You won’t owe us any money until we obtain a settlement or award on your behalf.
Past settlements and awards we have obtained for clients include:
- $1.46 million in a large truck accident case
- $875,000 for a traumatic brain injury
According to our client Tamia B., “I would definitely recommend them to anyone in need of a personal injury lawyer. They genuinely care about their clients and work hard to ensure the best possible outcome.”
We encourage you to speak to a Dothan distracted driving truck accident lawyer from our firm so you can learn more about your legal rights and options for seeking justice and financial accountability.
Dangers of Distracted Driving Involving Truck Drivers
Distracted driving is a leading cause of large truck accidents. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 71 percent of large truck accidents in one recent year occurred while the driver was distracted. The CDC lists three different types of driver distraction:
- Visual – In which the driver takes their eyes off the road
- Manual – In which the driver takes their hands off the wheel
- Cognitive – In which the driver is thinking about something other than driving
The primary danger of distracted driving is delayed reaction time, which causes the driver to fail to brake in time, if necessary. A driver paying attention to a text or trying to check the GPS can easily fail to spot a hazard up ahead, and by the time they do notice it, it is often too late. Distracted driving truck crashes are preventable. When you suffer serious injuries because of negligent driving and the violation of traffic laws, a Dothan truck accident attorney from our personal injury law firm can help.
Most Common Causes of Truck Driver Distraction Accidents
Many different things can distract a truck driver from paying attention to the road, including:
- Texting and cell phone use, in violation of federal laws prohibiting handheld device use
- GPS and navigation systems, such as when the driver adjusts routes while driving
- Eating and drinking, which leads to an increased risk of taking hands off the wheel
- In-cab distractions, such as radios, dispatch systems, passengers, or controls
- Fatigue-related distractions, such as zoning out due to exhaustion
- External distractions, including billboards, roadside incidents, or scenery
Driving a large truck is inherently dangerous, and anything distracting the driver from their responsibility increases that danger and the likelihood of serious accidents occurring.
State and Federal Regulations Regarding Distracted Driving for Truck Drivers
Distracted driving by truck drivers is a violation of both state and federal laws and regulations. According to the FMCSA, truck drivers are not allowed to do any of the following while driving:
- Send or read text messages on a mobile phone
- Hold or reach for a mobile phone
- Start or end a call by pressing more than one button on a mobile phone
Truck drivers must use a hands-free mobile device within easy reach to avoid violating these rules. They must use one-button or voice activation features to avoid using multiple buttons.
Violations can result in fines of up to $2,750, and multiple violations can lead to the disqualification of the driver. Trucking companies that require or allow violations face fines of up to $11,000. Violations also affect the results of a driver’s safety measurement system rating.
According to Drive Safe Alabama, the state’s hands-free law also forbids drivers from holding a cell phone or electronic device.
Penalties for violating this law include:
- A $50 fine and one point on the license for the first offense
- A $100 fine and two points on the license for the second offense
- A $150 fine and three points on the license for the third offense
- Suspension of a driver’s license for a subsequent offense
Our legal team can investigate whether the truck driver was violating relevant laws when they caused a traffic accident and identify all liable parties to maximize your chances of recovering full and fair compensation after sustaining severe injuries.
Compensation for Truck Accident Victims in Dothan
If a distracted truck driver has injured you, you can file a personal injury claim to collect compensation. You could be entitled to:
- Medical expenses, both immediate and long-term
- Lost wages, other lost income, and reduced earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death claims for the families of fatal accident victims
Contact a distracted driving accident lawyer immediately for help with your truck accident case. A lawyer can help investigate your case, interview eyewitnesses, review police reports and medical records, preserve critical evidence, and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. Your lawyer can take the case to trial if the company doesn’t offer a reasonable settlement.
Contact a Dothan Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Distracted driving truck accidents are one of the biggest dangers on the road. If a distracted driver hurt you, you can hold the person who hurt you accountable with the help of a skilled Dothan personal injury lawyer.
At Parker Trial Law, our primary focus as a law firm is representing seriously injured accident victims. Since Parker Trial Law’s founding in 2016, we have dedicated ourselves to zealously representing injured people in court. We have represented our clients in jury trials throughout Alabama, Georgia, and the United States.
We have extensive experience taking high-stakes personal injury cases to trial in state and federal courts. We believe thorough trial preparation can make all the difference and place us in a strong negotiating position. Insurance companies know they can’t get away with offering us a lowball settlement. We settle for nothing less than full compensation.
Parker Trial Law treats its clients like family and maintains relationships well after resolving their cases. If you were injured in a trucking distracted driving crash, contact Parker Trial Law today for a consultation with an experienced attorney.
