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Truck Accidents And The Law

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Truck accidents are an ever-present cause for concern on the highways of America. The injuries that are typically sustained in a truck accident and the damage to property can be of a very high magnitude. As many as 500,000 truck accidents occur on the roads of the United States every year. These truck accidents leave thousands of people severely injured and many dead, not to mention leaving so many families shattered because of the tragedy of a truck accident.

A truck accident is much more likely to result in serious injury or death than a typical auto accident involving smaller vehicles, and the law has also recognized this fact. This is why there are many federal laws that govern the actions of truckers and trucking companies, in a bid to increase the safety of the trucks on the roads and make the highways of America safer.

In addition to the federal government, most state governments have also recognized the enormous damage, to both life and property, which can be caused by truck accidents. Thus, the state governments have laid out their own laws governing trucks and trucking companies operating within their jurisdiction.

All aspects of the trucking industry are regulated by law. Laws regarding obtaining commercial drivers licenses, maintenance and repair of the trucks, safe operation of trucks, inspection of trucks and loads, proper loading, unloading, and securing of heavy loads, transportation of hazardous materials, driver conduct, alcohol and drug testing programs, training and instruction for truckers, have been passed by the federal government, and individual state governments; all these laws and regulations have been designed to make trucks safer and reduce truck accidents.

In spite of all the federal and state laws and safety regulations that have been put in place, there are still too many truck accidents taking place every year. Truck drivers do not earn a lot of money, and many truck drivers break these laws to make more money. Some trucking companies have been known to disregard safety procedures and other laws, so that they can keep their trucks on the roads for more time than is legally allowed and thereby generate more profits.

To protect innocent people from the greed of truckers and trucking companies who deliberately violate laws and put peoples lives at risk, the federal government has also passed laws to protect victims of truck accidents.

If you have been injured in a truck accident, or have lost a loved one to a truck accident, the law protects you in these circumstances and makes available to you many legal options. You are entitled to personal injury damages for any injuries suffered due to the truck accident. Wrongful death compensation is also available to the families or loved ones of people who have lost their lives in any truck accident.

For truckers and their families, the law provides for workers compensation, which has to be provided for an injured truck driver by his employer, if the injuries were sustained in a truck accident while on duty.