We share our roadways with large vehicles, including semi-trucks. In most cases, driving in areas traveled by tractor-trailers is safe, but accidents do occur. Unfortunately, when they do, the effects are often devastating. A semi-truck accident lawyer can help you and your family after a serious collision.
Colorado drivers, no matter their vehicle, deal with a variety of treacherous road conditions that change throughout the seasons. Add to that the fact that semi-trucks are heavy, long, and difficult to control under the best conditions. Then factor in the trucking industry’s demands on drivers and you have a recipe for disaster. A semi-truck accident lawyer helps people involved in collisions with tractor-trailers and ensures the proper handling of their case.
Why are you at such a risk when you’re driving in areas where tractor-trailers travel? What can you do to reduce that risk?
Traumatic injuries (TBI) are a common injury in auto accidents. This is especially true when accidents involve large vehicles traveling at high speeds.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are catastrophic. These types of injuries change a person’s life forever. TBIs affect a person’s ability to work, drive, interact with friends and family. These accidents make it impossible to lead what was previously their normal daily life.
One of the most common causes of TBI is auto accidents involving large vehicles. When your brain is injured in a collision it can have lifelong devastating consequences.
In addition to the physical and emotional trauma, medical care is also expensive. Many people who experience TBI require ongoing healthcare and rehabilitation, all of which cost a great deal of money. The cost of treating and managing TBI often requires long-term rehabilitation and can cost up to $1000 a day or more.
Some of the most common issues people experience when they suffer a traumatic brain injury include:
TBI also increases a person’s risk of future neurological issues, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Involvement in an accident that results in TBI changes your life forever. A semi-truck accident lawyer can help you manage your case.
In addition to the high risk of serious injuries following a semi accident, other issues increase the odds of an accident occurring.
Fatigue is an example of this.
It’s a common issue for truckers. A driver’s success is measured by speed and efficiency. This means long hours and extreme distances on busy highways, which has a high potential for disaster.
Fatigue might not seem like a big deal considering most people have driven when they were tired. But the truth is operating a semi-truck with fatigue can be deadly.
Studies have shown fatigue puts people in a hypnotic state. Fatigued drivers let their vehicles drift. They vary vehicle speed unpredictably and they misjudge situations. Some even imagine things “jumping out” in the road. They feel irritable, fidgety, and have a greater tendency to daydream. Pair these issues with fatigue’s propensity to reduce reaction time and you have a recipe for disaster.
Currently, laws govern the driving hours and break time of truckers to protect everyone on the road. But many believe these laws are not strict enough and that overworked truckers continue to pose a danger to themselves and others on the road.
As if the serious risk of injury and fatigue weren’t enough, add the fact that Colorado’s weather is unpredictable and road conditions can change in the blink of an eye. The Colorado Department of Transportation does its best to keep the roads safe but it’s impossible to maintain perfect driving conditions when precipitation is an ongoing issue, especially during the winter.
Combine slippery or icy roads and reduced visibility with an overworked trucker driving a heavy truck that can do a lot of damage and it’s easy to understand why semi accidents are such a risk on Colorado roads.
If you or a loved one were involved in an accident with a semi-truck or tractor-trailer, we want to help. Bloch & Chapleau LLC is a Colorado personal injury law firm located in Vail, Frisco, and Denver. The goal of our experienced semi-truck accident lawyers is to help you get compensation for your injuries.
To discuss an automobile accident that left you with serious injuries or to learn more about your options if you were injured in an accident with a semi-truck, contact Bloch & Chapleau LLC by calling toll free (303) 331-1700 or fill out our online contact form.
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