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Commercial Vehicle Accident

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Commercial Vehicle Accidents account for a large number of all traffic accidents in the United States. These accidents are far more dangerous and deadly than accidents involving other motor vehicles, because of the very nature of commercial vehicles. Before going any further, let's take a look at what a commercial vehicle is.

What Is A Commercial Vehicle?

A commercial vehicle is any kind of vehicle that is used for business or commercial purposes. A vehicle that is used to carry freight or other commercial goods, or any vehicle that is used in the course of any business activity, is referred to as a commercial vehicle. A commercial vehicle could be a big truck (semis, tractor trailers), a commercial bus, a van, or any other type of automobile used for commercial purposes.

Big trucks are the preferred type of commercial vehicle, which are used for many different commercial needs. Because of their large carrying capacities, big trucks are often used as commercial vehicles, for hauling cargo, for delivery purposes, and also as utility, service, and maintenance vehicles.

The size and weight of such commercial vehicles, as well as the nature of the cargo that they transport, often becomes a cause for concern, in case of any commercial vehicle accident. Any kind of traffic accident can be tragic, but when it comes to a commercial vehicle accident the consequences are, more often than not, unimaginably disastrous.

Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Here is a list of the various types of commercial vehicle accidents:

Semi Truck Accident
Tractor Trailer Accident
Delivery Vehicle Accident
Commercial Bus Accident
Hazmat Carrier Accidents
Tanker Trailer Accidents
Commercial Van Accidents

Regardless of what type of commercial vehicle accident you are involved in, you can consider it a miracle if you come out of the accident without sustaining serious injuries.

Various laws have been passed to regulate the conduct of trucks, their drivers, and trucking companies. Truck driver fatigue is the number one cause for truck accidents due to the error of the truck driver, followed closely by abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Laws regarding hours of service, and the maximum number of hours that a truck driver can drive his truck, have been established by the federal government, so as to reduce truck driver fatigue and lower the number of truck accidents. But many truckers disregard these laws, which ultimately results in truck accidents taking place and innocent people losing their lives.

Big trucks typically weigh anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 pounds and can be as long as 60-70 feet. Being involved in an accident with a truck of such magnitude can result in many types of injuries, most of which are serious in nature. Out of all of the fatalities in 2002 that resulted from truck accidents that involved large trucks, 8 percent were non-occupants, 78 percent were occupants in a different vehicle, and 15 percent were the truck driver or an occupant in the truck.

If you have been involved in a commercial vehicle accident, truck accident laws state that you shall be compensated by the negligent party who caused the truck accident. Federal laws mandate that truckers and trucking companies carry certain minimum amounts of liability, bodily injury, and property damage insurance coverage. These limits are much higher than what is required of other vehicles, because injuries and damage to property in a truck accident are far more severe than in other auto accidents. The insurance regulations are in place to protect the victims of truck accidents when those who are liable cannot afford to pay damages from their own pockets.

Get in touch with an accident lawyer as soon as possible. If you have suffered any injuries from a commercial vehicle accident, and you can prove that someone other than you was responsible for the accident, then you have a legal right to damages and compensation. An experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer will be able to advise you as to the best course of action, so as to recover maximum damages.