Contributing Factors in Fatal 18-wheeler accidents

Federal statistics show that more than 500, 000 trucking incidents occur in the country each year, causing serious injuries to thousands of people. Nearly 10 percent of these accidents result in fatalities. According to records, accidents involving 18-wheeler trucks account for one in every eight traffic deaths.

Accidents involving big trucks such as 18-wheelers are often catastrophic. With their massive size, speed and heavy loads, 18-wheelers pose potential risk to other motorists on the road, especially during accidents.

Most 18-wheeler accidents are caused by the following factors:

• Brake failure
• Driving fatigue or driver exhaustion
• Excessive speed
• Failure to obey rules and regulations of the road
• Debris or particles on the road
• Tire failure and separation
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Failure to accommodate blindspots
• Freight shifting and unsecured load and cargo
• Unsafe driving practices

Fatal accidents involving 18-wheelers often resulted from the following major types of truck accident:

• Wheel blowout accidents – Blown-out tires can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which causes the back of the truck to swing out or “fishtail”. This often leads to skidding or sliding and eventually a rollover.


• Jack-knifing – This occurs when the truck skids and swings out until it stops and forms a right angle with each other. This occurs when the road is slippery and wet. This accident can also cause multiple car pile-ups.


• Truck Under ride Accidents - This accident occurs when a car hits the back of a truck which has a base higher that the car. When this happens, the bed of the truck rest at chest-level with the car passengers, which is surely catastrophic, if not fatal.


• Impaired truck Driver accidents – Some of the most fatal and tragic accidents involving trucks are caused by impaired driving. Driving under the influence of drug and alcohol, texting while driving, driving when fatigue, and driving when ill - often result in tragic consequences for the truck driver and other motorists.

What to Do:

Families or survivors of accident victims in fatal 18-wheeler accidents can file wrongful death claims against the liable parties in the accident and recover compensation for their losses.

Unlike in most personal injury cases, survivors of the victim in a wrongful death claim are not entitled to damages recoverable in a personal injury claim such as medical expenses, lost income and property damage.

In a wrongful death claim, the claim belongs to the victim’s estate which may be recovered only by the personal representative of the victim through a lawsuit or survival action.

To do this, you will need the representation of someone knowledgeable with the law, preferably a lawyer who specializes in wrongful death claims related to accidents.

Mesriani Law Group is a full service law firm which specializes in all facets of Personal Injury Law Litigation, including Wrongful Death Claims, Car Accidents, Slip and Fall and Premises Liability Claims, Employment / Labor Law, Disability Law and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, and Business Law. Each of the attorneys at the Mesriani Law Group has been acknowledged as one of the very best in their field. Whether your case deals with Personal Injury Law, Employment Law, Social Security representation or Corporate/Business law, you can be assured that your case will be handled by an expert who specializes in that form of litigation. It is this diversity that makes us unique. We are not a firm with one specialty, but several. But it is not the accomplishments of its attorneys or its stellar business plan that makes Mesriani Law Group the best law firm in Los Angeles. It is the people working at Mesriani Law Group that truly drive our success. Every employee at Mesriani Law Group is dedicated to delivering the best service possible. Not only that, but Mesriani Law Group prides itself on giving the same level of attention to each and every client, be it a small personal injury matter or a multi-million dollar litigation. Mesriani Law Group is dedicated to giving its clients the very best representation and remains committed to having only the very best attorneys handling their cases.

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