Oklahoma City Truck Accident Attorneys
Commercial truck and tractor-trailer drivers, known as CDL drivers, often spend long hours behind the wheel covering vast distances.
In these situations, it is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain optimal levels of concentration over such a long period of time.
Although complex federal regulations limit the number of hours a commercial driver can drive and requires certain mandatory breaks, drivers and their employers do not always observe those rules. As such, accidents occur.
Some common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driver fatigue
- Unsecured cargo
- Speeding or violating traffic rules
- Inattentive or distracted driving
- Driving while under the influence
Many accidents take place in construction zones, where traffic may be forced to slow down or navigate narrow turns with little warning. Trucks entering these zones at high speeds may not be able to slow down in time, leading to rear-end collisions and pileups.
Commercial Truck Accidents Are More Likely To Result In Death
Commercial truck accidents generally involve collisions with smaller passenger vehicles. Rear-end collisions, sideswipes and head-on collisions often occur on highways all across the state of Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, given the sheer size and weight of trucks, accidents involving trucks, semi trucks or 18-wheelers often result in serious catastrophic injuries or loss of life.
Experienced Oklahoma City Truck Accident Attorneys Who Care
If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident, you are likely facing medical expenses — or funeral expenses. Fortunately, there is hope.
At Dawkins & Gowens Law Firm, in Oklahoma City, our truck accident attorneys are dedicated to helping people like you seek justice and obtain necessary compensation.
Our legal team consists of skilled trial lawyers with nearly six decades of combined experience. Collectively, we have handled thousands of cases.
Answers To Common Truck Accident Questions
At Dawkins & Gowens, we regularly pursue trucking companies and truck drivers responsible for injuries. Since 1985, we have offered the victims of commercial vehicle accidents experienced legal perspective and advocacy.
We want to offer guidance to you as you learn more about your situation. This is a complicated area of the law and it’s natural to have questions, such as:
Why are commercial vehicle accidents more complicated than typical car accidents?
Truck and commercial vehicle accidents are more complicated than car accidents for two primary reasons. Firstly, as drivers are often employees, fault can lie with the trucking company and the driver. Also, if the trucking company is a vendor for another party that overloaded the truck, making it challenging to control, then that would add another layer to the fault calculation.
The second reason truck accidents are more difficult than other accident types is that trucking companies maintain extremely aggressive legal teams. They take every opportunity to dismiss and fight off any lawsuit, to place blame on the victims. It can feel like an uphill battle.
How else do Oklahoma City truck accidents differ from car accidents?
A truck accident is much more devastating than a standard car accident. The size and weight of a commercial vehicle make it more dangerous, but the conditions that the drivers are under increase the likelihood of accidents. Injuries from truck accidents can be devastating, permanent or fatal. These vehicles are dangerous, and the damage they cause can inflict untold suffering for drivers.
Why are truck accidents so frequent?
Truck accidents are frequent for several important reasons:
- Inexperience: Truck drivers must undergo testing to attain a commercial driver’s license, but passing the test, does not necessarily mean they are the right person for the job. Increasingly, demand for drivers causes employers to seek less experienced and less qualified personnel who may not have the ability to handle certain routes.
- Overloading: Commercial vehicles all have strict weight limits. These limits are in place to make a truck more controllable on the road. When those packing a truck ignore those weight limits, the truck becomes much more dangerous to drive.
- Road conditions: Even properly packed and balanced trucks can have difficulty on poorly maintained roads or roads with bad conditions. Heavy vehicles on roads that may have once worked just fine may be devastating if a municipality hasn’t kept up with repairs and updates.
- Driver fatigue: Drivers have tight schedules and must meet deadlines. They have a great deal riding on their ability to do this and can take risks to ensure they meet their deadlines as a result.
On top of these reasons specific to commercial trucks, you can add the typical reasons others get into accidents, such as distractions or mechanical failures.
What is the difference between a commercial vehicle accident and a truck accident?
Mainly when we refer to commercial vehicle accidents, we mean trucking accidents because those are the vast majority. However, commercial vehicles include construction vehicles, fire trucks, buses and other large, road-going vehicles.
No matter the vehicle involved, you may have the same struggles and the same difficulties pursuing maximum compensation.
How will my Oklahoma City personal injury attorney help after a truck accident?
In a commercial vehicle accident, your attorney takes the lead on pursuing your compensation for you. While the legal team of the commercial vehicle owner may try to pressure you into taking a smaller settlement or try to bury you in red tape, your attorney can fight back.
Experienced legal representation offers several advantages to you when you’re facing any sort of injury matter. Your attorney has resources and knowledge built over a career, and they know the process.
If you or a loved one has been in a commercial vehicle accident, reach out to Dawkins & Gowens by calling 405-254-8461 or by using this convenient email form. We can speak with you about your concerns and build a plan to fight for the compensation you deserve.