Posted On: February 17, 2007 by Michael Jeffcoat

Truck Accidents are Attracting Lots of Attention Lately

I have noticed a lot of press coverage of truck accidents and the laws governing 18 wheelers lately. Last month, the Chicago Tribune published a major article detailing the huge problem of unskilled truck drivers causing accidents in this country. It seems that a driver named Hussein Osman was one of several hundred truck drivers (most of them were Somali and Bosnian immigrants) who may have been given fraudulent commercial drivers licenses by a Missouri truck driving school. Unfortunately, they didn't get in touch with Hussein in time. He was killed in October when he was involved in a wreck with an Oklahoma State Trooper, who also died in the accident.

In fact, there are thousands and thousands of truck drivers in this country who received their CDLs under suspicious circumstances. In just the last 5 years, the federal government has confirmed license fraud in 24 (!) states. Most state governments are doing essentially nothing about the problem.

And people wonder why lawsuits are necessary? Who is going to protect the public, if injury lawyers, judges and juries don't do it?

Nobody. That's who.

Common causes of truck accidents:

· Oversized trucks
· Insufficient training
· Overloaded trucks
· Break malfunction
· Inexperienced drivers
· Not enough sleep
· Speeding
· Poor driving conditions
· Failure to yield the right of way
· Failure to stop at a light
· Aggressive or dangerous driving
· DUI/DWI
· Mechanical failure

Some damages that may be recovered in a personal injury related tractor-trailer accident: Current and future medical costs, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering that is a result of (or may result from) the accident.

I represent clients in and around South Carolina who have been injured in a South Carolina truck accident, car accident, and other kinds of accidents because of another person’s negligence. To find out if we can help you, call us at 1-800-827-7898. You can also get in touch with us by clicking here.