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South Dakota Truck Accident Lawyer

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There are various types of trucks that travel through South Dakota on a daily basis. It's not just commercial trucks that you have to be wary of, but also other larger vehicles such as school buses, tractor trailers, and fire trucks. All of these vehicles are larger and heavier than a regular car or van, and therefore can cause more damage, and more serious injuries, in the event of an accident.

In 2008 there was a total of 123,918 large trucks and 13,263 buses that were involved in non-fatal crashes in the United States. 49,084 large trucks and 7,123 buses were involved in injury crashes. 73,047 injuries resulted in large truck crashes, and 16,760 injuries due to bus crashes. There were also 74,834 large trucks and 6,140 buses that were involved in tow away crashes, and 2,609 large trucks and 11 buses that were involved in Hazmat Placard (carrying potentially dangerous substances) crashes. Most of the fatal truck accidents occurred 68% of the time in rural areas, 66% during the day time, and 78% of the time on weekdays. Passenger vehicles are less likely than large trucks to be involved in a fatal multi-vehicle accident.

One of the most common reasons why there is a collision between a passenger vehicle and a large truck is because of the passenger vehicle driver being ignorant of the truck's performance capabilities, including what type of visibility the truck driver has, and the limits that are associated with braking. This can also include changing lanes quickly in front of a truck, driving in the No-Zones, right behind and beside the truck where the driver cannot see you, and not slowing down or speeding up when a truck starts to change a lane or merge. Truck drivers who are driving fatigued or who are driving a fault truck or a truck that is overloaded are also reasons for many accidents.

South Dakota truck accident lawyers work to help those affected by an accident involving a truck on the roads of South Dakota. You may have been affected in one of a number of ways by a South Dakota truck related accident resulting in damage, injury, even the loss of a loved one. A South Dakota truck accident attorney can help you file a successful lawsuit and claim compensation for your injuries or losses stemming from the truck accident.

In recent South Dakota truck accident news, a herd of cattle broke lose from their farm and were on the highway when a semi-truck driver was traveling towards them. He killed eight of the cattle, and around $4,200 worth of damages were estimated to be sustained by the semi-truck.

Unless there are witnesses to the accident, or the truck driver readily admits fault, it can sometimes be difficult to prove that you were not at fault in some way. A South Dakota truck accident lawyer will have plenty of experience with cases such as these, and can therefore determine who was at fault in order to get you the compensation you are entitled to.

You should bear in mind that South Dakota, like other states, imposes certain statutes when it comes to filing lawsuits. One of these is the statute of limitations, which requires you to take legal action within a certain time as specified by the state, or render yourself ineligible to claim. This is why it is vital to initiate discussions with a South Dakota truck accident lawyer as early as possible.

The easiest way to find a dependable and qualified lawyer in your area is through the American Bar Association (ABA) website. Their attorney locator will enable you to find a lawyer who specializes in truck accident cases.