Recht Law Represents Trucking Accident Victims
Trust a law firm with decades of experience to handle your case
Commercial trucks are an everyday sight on Highway 22 and other main roads in the Weirton area. When those large vehicles are involved in accidents, the consequences can be dire. Because tractor-trailers are so much larger than passenger cars, they can cause serious and even fatal injuries. That's why the law holds truckers to a high standard of safe driving.
If you were involved in an accident with a commercial truck, it may seem like the deck is stacked against you. Trucking companies have the resources to fight hard against your claim. There may be multiple insurance companies and other entities involved, and you may not even know where to start.
You don't have to do it alone. Recht Law Offices has been representing injured people in Weirton and throughout the surrounding communities since 1952. We're dedicated to keeping our roads and our community safer, and if your family is dealing with a loss due to a truck accident, our family can help.
A truck accident lawyer from our firm can handle cases involving all of the following:
- Texting and Distracted Truckers
- Speeding Trucks
- Fatigued/Asleep-at-the-Wheel Truck Drivers
- Overloaded and Improperly Loaded Trucks
- Intoxicated Truckers
- Poorly Maintained Trucks
Truck accident cases are legally complex. There are so many rules and regulations that apply to trucking companies. As your attorneys, we'll carefully investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident to hold the responsible parties accountable. You may have a case against the trucking company for negligent practices such as inadequately training the driver or pressuring him or her to work through a mandatory break period.
It's quite common for truck accidents to cross state lines as truckers travel long distances to make deliveries. We have attorneys licensed to practice law in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and we routinely handle cases involving out-of-state truckers.
Don't let a trucking company push you around. Reach out to Recht Law today to get started on your case. Contact us to schedule your free consultation. Call 1 (877) 321-7324.
Texting and Distracted Truckers
Texting while driving is illegal for commercial truck drivers in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and nationwide. Even so, many truck drivers choose to drive while distracted and put motorists at risk. Because commercial trucks are so large, they take a long time to stop, and anything that inhibits the trucker's ability to respond to changing traffic conditions can turn deadly.
Truck drivers are prone to distracted driving because they spend their entire working days behind the wheel. In addition to texting, they may cause accidents while talking to a dispatcher, eating, adjusting the radio or otherwise distracted.
As your attorneys, we'll look for telltale signs that the truck driver who hit you was distracted. We may consult cell phone records and interview eyewitnesses. We'll also investigate the trucking company to see whether the truck driver was inadequately trained or supervised, which may have resulted in a pattern of dangerous driving.
Because of the sheer size of commercial trucks, they can be very difficult to steer at high speeds. Moreover, a speeding truck takes a long time to stop if the traffic in front slows or needs to stop unexpectedly. Despite those risks, many commercial truck drivers break the speed limit. Speeding trucks can cause devastating injuries because of the amount of force involved when they hit something.
During our investigation, we'll look for any indication that the truck was behind schedule, which could be motivation for the trucker to drive too fast. Often, trucking companies are responsible for speeding accidents because they pressure drivers to meet unrealistic delivery schedules. Our attorneys will diligently search for all the evidence you need to get compensation for your accident.
Fatigued/Asleep-at-the-Wheel Truck Drivers
Truck drivers work long hours, and they need to stay awake and alert to keep from causing accidents. That's why commercial trucking companies are required by law to follow strict hours of service rules, including mandatory rest breaks and limits on the number of hours a driver can work in a given period of time. Despite those rules, many truck drivers end up causing serious accidents when they fall asleep at the wheel.
Asleep-at-the-wheel truckers are especially dangerous because they may not even slow down before impact. A tractor-trailer that hits a smaller vehicle at full speed can cause devastating damage.
When we investigate an accident involving a fatigued trucker, our attorneys will look at the accident scene to see if the skid marks - or, often, lack of skid marks - are consistent with falling asleep at the wheel. We'll also consult the truck's break log and any other relevant documentation. Often, the blame falls on the trucking company for pressuring the driver to work through those mandatory breaks. Trucking companies will thoroughly investigate the accident, and you need an attorney who will do the same. You need Recht Law.
Overloaded and Improperly Loaded Trucks
Commercial trucks are subject to strict regulations determining how much cargo they can carry at a time. However, some trucking companies do not follow those regulations. They try to cram more cargo than is safe into a single truck in order to maximize their profits. Unfortunately, overloaded trucks are harder to steer and harder to stop, making an accident more likely.
Improperly loading cargo can also increase the risk of an accident. For instance, loosely packed cargo may shift to one side of the truck, throwing the vehicle off balance and making it harder to steer.
An accident involving cargo may lead to a claim against the truck driver, the trucking company, or even, in limited circumstances, the company that owns the cargo. We'll carefully investigate every aspect of your case and find the best route to get you all of the compensation you need.
Every motorist knows the dangers of drunk driving, and commercial truck drivers who drink and drive are even more dangerous. That's why the legal limit for commercial drivers is a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.04, compared to 0.08 for motorists in general. Nevertheless, some truck drivers choose to put others at risk while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
All trucking companies have policies in place to prevent their drivers from driving drunk, but that doesn't mean they always carefully enforce those policies - and when they don't, they can be held liable for accidents. We may be able to pursue a claim against the company for negligent supervision or negligent hiring practices, especially if they failed to conduct a background check before hiring a trucker with a history of drunk or drugged driving.
An improperly maintained truck is a dangerous truck. That's why truck drivers are required to conduct a thorough maintenance check before they hit the road. Unfortunately, under pressure from companies to make deliveries faster, many truck drivers rush through or skip the maintenance check, which puts everyone else on the road in danger.
If your accident was caused by a mechanical failure, we'll investigate maintenance records and other documents to determine what happened. Fault for the accident may lie with the truck driver, the trucking company, a manufacturer or even a mechanic who did shoddy work on the truck. Whatever the circumstances, we'll stand with you and help you fight for the compensation you need.