If you have been injured in a trucking accident in San Angelo, Texas, you are likely worrying about your health and your finances. Recovering from a car accident can be a draining process in many regards, including financially. You will not only have medical and vehicle repair bills to worry about, but potential lost wages. Additionally, you may want to see your pain and suffering financially addressed.
Fortunately, help is available. Carabin Shaw’s team of San Angelo 18 wheeler accident attorneys has several years of combined experience representing cases like yours. Contact us today at 432-620-0544 for a free consultation with one of our lawyers.
Fatigued Driving
Overworked, fatigued drivers causing trucking accidents in Texas is, unfortunately, all too common. Commercial drivers often have to drive long hours without much opportunity for rest in between, which can quickly become hazardous to themselves and especially to passenger vehicles on the road. By some metrics, fatigued driving is as dangerous as, or more dangerous than drunk driving, and in many states is considered a moving violation.
Studies have found fatigue, or “non-performance,” to be the critical factor in thousands of truck accidents annually. Texas is one of the worst states in the country for truck accidents, seeing thousands of serious commercial vehicle-involved accidents and hundreds of resultant deaths annually.
It is clear that overworked, fatigued drivers causing trucking accidents in Texas is a serious problem. A trucking accident lawyer in San Angelo will help you find whether or not it was a factor in your accident.
Determining Fault in a Fatigue-Related Crash
If a truck driver is operating a vehicle while tired, either they, their employer, or both, are acting negligently and putting you and the general public at risk. San Angelo 18 wheeler accident attorneys can help you determine if this is the case.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets very specific limits for how long commercial drivers can operate at a time. Many drivers are expected to report these hours themselves, and for various reasons may, intentionally or unintentionally, under-report them, without the knowledge of their employer. This puts those drivers at an increased risk of fatigue, and thus poses a negligent threat to everyone else on the road. In these cases, an attorney would advise you to pursue a lawsuit against the driver.
However, in many accidents involving fatigued commercial drivers, the fault may ultimately lie with the employer, rather than the driver. Many commercial drivers are forced to work longer hours with fewer breaks than is safe or, more importantly, legal. They may be asked by an employer to under-report hours under threat of firing. This constitutes negligence on the part of the employer, demonstrating a lack of regard for their employees or for the general public. A trucking accident lawyer in San Angelo can help you determine whether this is relevant to your accident.
What to Look For in San Angelo Accident Attorneys
If your case goes to court, you could find yourself facing opposition from a trucking company’s retained corporate lawyers. These attorneys are hired specifically to oppose people like you trying to receive just compensation for a negligent injury. You will want someone in your corner who is equally experienced with truck accident-related personal injury law, who knows how to best help your case succeed, and who has a winning record. Additionally, you should look for a legal representative who specializes in clients like yourself: individuals, not corporations.
The San Angelo accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw have that experience and that knowledge, and specialize in representing individuals who are looking for fair compensation. If you are unsure whether or not we would be a good fit, you can schedule a free consultation to go over the specifics of your case. Contact our San Angelo, Texas office today at 432-620-0544, or schedule a free consultation at 1-800-862-1260.