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The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Monument

While we all hope we won’t get into an accident on our way to work or play in Monument, there are more than 140,000 accidents on the city’s roads every year. Big rig trucks are involved in several of these collisions.

The following are some of the most prevalent causes of truck accidents on Monument roads:

Distracted driving

When a motorist is texting, chatting, or looking at a map, their attention is diverted away from the road and toward their electronic gadgets. It doesn’t help that Monument’s roads are notoriously difficult to navigate, with small roads, diversions, and one-way streets, increasing the likelihood that a trucker may need to consult a map to find their delivery or pickup spot. Distracted driving is harmful to everyone on the road, not just the truck driver. While Monument has had a hands-free ordinance in effect since early 2020, many people continue to disobey it, and distracted driving is still a major issue.

Driver exhaustion

Truck drivers who are recuperating from a cold or the flu, using certain drugs, or driving tired overnight to make deadlines become drowsy and may cause accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has created rules limiting the number of hours a truck driver may travel and establishing rest periods.

However, truckers behind time or whose employers pressure them to drive quicker may break the laws, putting everyone on Monument’s roads in danger. Driving when tired is equally as hazardous as driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Driving when inebriated

When drugs or alcohol affect a driver, they might cause slower reflexes, sleepiness, and inattentiveness. When the driver is driving a huge truck, the risks are multiplied. Truckers who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol break state laws and risk losing their commercial driver’s license, either temporarily or permanently, under FMCSA requirements.

Drivers who operate a heavy truck while drunk is more likely to cause major accidents that result in the death of other drivers. Remember that consuming over-the-counter drugs such as cough medicine, vitamins to help them remain awake, and other prescriptions might impair a driver’s ability to operate a car properly.

Unsecured/improperly secured goods

The FMCSA has had explicit requirements concerning cargo security in place since 2002. These laws make it safer for truck drivers, drivers on the road, and pedestrians to convey products; the greater weight, the more problems an inadequately secured cargo may create.

Truckers who try to swerve out of the path of a car that has drifted out of its lane, change lanes too abruptly, or face heavy winds might cause an incorrectly secured cargo to tip over. Cargo flying off a truck poses a danger to everyone on the road and nearby.

Accidents involving jackknifes

Monument is notorious for its extreme weather. Early in the morning, drivers may see beautiful blue sky, but by the afternoon, they may be travelling in whiteout conditions. Slippery roads, excessive speed, inadequately secured cargo, and worn-out brakes may cause a truck to jackknife, resulting in devastating accidents on Monument roads.

Truck parts that are defective

One of the essential things a truck owner can do is make sure their cars are well-maintained. Failures in tires, brakes, steering, large rig suspension systems, and safety systems may put truckers and other Monument drivers at grave risk.

Driver error

Truck drivers, like all other drivers, are human and may make errors. A mistake behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry and a mistake behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truck, on the other hand, may result in radically different levels of property and person damage.

That is, trucks, due to their substantially larger size and weight, can do far more damage. Truck drivers who fail to keep sufficient space between themselves and the cars in front of them, disobey traffic signals, or conduct dangerous lane changes do so on roads throughout the country, with potentially fatal consequences.

The Effects of a Truck vs a Car Accident

Colorado has around 5.3 million registered cars, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Trucks account for approximately 2.2 million of these cars, according to the statistics. Even a simple truck collision might result in catastrophic consequences. This is mostly due to the size differences between the cars involved. A car normally weighs roughly 6,000 pounds, but a fully loaded truck may weigh up to 80,000 pounds.

When a truck and a car collide in Monument, the injuries incurred by the car driver are nearly always more severe than those suffered by the trucker.

When a car and a truck crash on Monument roads, the following injuries are common:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

TBIs are among the most serious injuries suffered by truck accident victims. In the end, a victim may have emotional distress, motor skill loss, and cognitive difficulties. Unfortunately, many of these long-term illnesses may prevent the person from ever working again. Certain victims are put into comas; in some situations, they may die, while in others, they may survive for years without caring for themselves.

Paralysis

Victims of a Monument truck accident may suffer from spinal cord damage. The paralysis might be transitory in certain cases.

However, spinal cord injuries often result in lifelong paralysis, limiting the afflicted to a wheelchair for the remainder of their lives. Multiple surgical operations, relearning how to conduct ordinary chores, and a life-long need for assisted care are possible results.

Serious burn injuries

Trucks transporting flammable substances may cause a fire if they are involved in an accident. Burn victims endure severe agony, a protracted recovery, and maybe many surgical treatments to address the damage caused by the burn injuries.

A Monument truck accident victim may have to cope with pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and scarring following a burn injury.

Recovery, both physically and financially, Following Truck Accidents in Monument.

Victims of Monument truck accidents have a long road to recovery: some injuries may heal in weeks, some in months, and other injuries will never heal. It’s difficult to know how to cope with the financial consequences of any degree of damage.

For starters, victims aren’t often aware that the state’s no-fault insurance laws cover truck accidents in Monument. In most cases, no-fault insurance entails filing a first insurance claim with your insurer. Medical payments coverage (MedPay) coverage of at least $8,000 is required in Monument. Truck accidents, on the other hand, often result in expenditures much surpassing the minimal coverage required.

After receiving MedPay compensation, a driver may bring a civil case against the liable driver under specific conditions under the no-fault regulations.

The victim has sustained lifelong harm;

The victim has broken bones, lost hearing or sight, or has substantial scars; or

The victim’s reasonable medical expenditures exceed $2,000

In general, any truck accident victim who has any injuries as mentioned above would almost certainly need considerably more than $2,000 in medical expenditures, making them qualified to file a case.

Soon after an accident, a truck owner’s insurance company may contact Monument truck accident victims, expecting that you would accept a low-ball settlement offer.

Keep in mind that if you accept a settlement for your injuries, the insurance company is typically released from any further responsibility. This implies that whatever settlement you take, regardless of how big your medical expenses are, how much time you miss at work, what renovations your house may need, or the result of your injuries, you cannot claim anything extra.

As a result, you should never accept the initial offer from an insurance provider.

There’s a good possibility you’ll receive calls from multiple different insurance adjusters. Truckers in the Bay State are required to have higher-limit insurance than other car operators. The kind of cargo has a big impact on insurance. Nonetheless, insurance companies are unlikely to offer you reasonable compensation right away.

You will almost certainly need a comprehensive examination of the accident to collect what you are entitled to. Obtaining a truck driver’s records to ascertain whether or not they violated the driving hours and rest stop laws is a common first step in these investigations.

Contact a Monument Truck Accident Lawyer now.

Accidents involving trucks may be difficult to resolve. There might be several parties responsible for your injury, and the insurance companies involved will have an army of lawyers on their side. These judgments will be made in the insurance company’s best interest, not you, the truck accident victim.

Following a truck accident, your first focus should be restoring as much physical health as possible. You’ll almost certainly need therapy and will be in a lot of discomforts. Insurance companies are well aware that you are experiencing financial difficulties at this time, and they may attempt to take advantage of your vulnerable position. In certain situations, they may claim to be offering you the best settlement offer possible.

Don’t be deceived, particularly if you have no idea how long your medical recovery will take, the long-term effects of your injuries on your capacity to work, or your future medical care options. With all of these unknowns, it’s impossible to say what your fair remuneration should be.

Jeremy D. Earle, JD is a Monument truck accident lawyer.

Because of the facts as they perceive them, many victims of Monument truck accidents believe they do not need the services of an attorney. They believe the truck driver is to blame and that the driver’s insurance will reimburse them. However, the more badly you’ve been hurt, the more likely you’ll need an attorney to help you get adequate compensation.

You probably have a lot of questions if you’ve been in a car accident in Monument. You’re trying to figure out how to cope with getting laid off and growing medical costs, and you may believe you can’t afford an attorney. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with a Monument truck accident lawyer. Most lawyers provide no-cost, no-obligation consultations, allowing you to learn more about your legal choices without spending any money. With this knowledge, you can choose the best course of action for you and your family.

Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers committed, experienced Monument personal injury attorneys can walk you through all of the above stages and more as we fight tenaciously to preserve your rights and get the compensation you deserve. Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers may be reached by phone at 719-300-1100 or via email.