How Tired Truck Drivers Cause Accidents in Fort Worth, TX
Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving and distracted driving. Truck drivers who do not get enough sleep can cause accidents. Tragically, the other people on the road often sustain catastrophic injuries and life-threatening conditions in truck accidents.
The Fort Worth truck accident lawyer at Stephens Law has more than 25 years of experience handling accidents involving semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, big rigs, and other commercial motor vehicles. We have recovered over $100 million in accident settlements and jury verdicts for our clients.
Contact our law office or call (817) 420-7000 today to request a free consultation with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer. Then, let’s begin working on getting you the money you deserve after a truck accident in Fort Worth, Texas.
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How Can Stephens Law Help After a Tired Truck Driver Caused a Collision in Fort Worth, TX?
It can be challenging to battle trucking companies and their insurance providers for fair compensation. However, these large corporations have endless resources to fight accident claims involving tired truck drivers.
You need a Fort Worth personal injury law firm with the resources, experience, and skills to take on the trucking industry. Our legal team at Stephens Law is more than capable of handling large, complex truck accident claims.
When you hire our award-winning legal team, you can expect us to:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the cause of the commercial truck accident
- Monitor the accident investigations by state and federal agencies
- Identify all parties who could be liable for your damages
- File insurance claims and handle all matters related to those claims
- Work with accident reconstructionists, trucking industry experts, and other experts to gather evidence proving that truck driver fatigue caused the accident
- Document your injuries and damages, including working with medical specialists
- Calculate the value of your claim and fight to get you that amount through settlement negotiations or by arguing your case in court
Call us to schedule your free consultation with a Fort Worth truck accident attorney. We accept cases on a contingency fee basis.
How Do Tired Truck Drivers Cause Accidents in Fort Worth?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) states that 13% of commercial drivers reported being fatigued when a truck accident occurred. Truck driver fatigue can be caused by a lack of sleep, strenuous work, long work hours, and other factors. In addition, medications, substance abuse, and sleep disorders also lead to truck accidents caused by fatigue or drowsiness.
Fatigue can impair driving ability in numerous ways.
Tired truck drivers could nod off while driving large trucks, causing a truck crash. Fatigued truck drivers make poor driving decisions and have reduced reaction times. Being tired while driving can cause a truck driver to drift into another lane or lose peripheral vision.
Any of the above effects of driver fatigue could result in a truck accident. There are federal regulations in place that govern the number of hours that truck drivers can drive without breaks. However, the hours of service rules do not address the other issues of fatigue.
If a truck driver takes medication for a health condition, the side effects may cause drowsiness, even though the driver had plenty of sleep. Likewise, if a driver is drinking and driving, alcohol could cause drowsiness, even though the driver got enough rest.
Trucking companies often pressure their drivers to deliver loads based on unrealistic deadlines. Unfortunately, the pressure and stress of meeting deadlines combined with excessive driving and other factors can lead to a devastating truck accident.
Who Is Responsible for My Damages After a Fort Worth Truck Accident Caused by a Fatigued Truck Driver?
The trucking company and the truck driver could be liable for your damages. There could also be other parties who share liability, depending on the factors involved in the truck accident. Our legal team will investigate each aspect of the truck crash to identify all parties involved.
Once we prove liability for the truck accident, we can move forward to recover compensation for your damages.
What Damages Can I Receive in a Truck Accident Case in Texas?
Truck crashes cause traumatic and catastrophic injuries. In addition, many victims sustain permanent impairments because of the truck crash. Therefore, the compensation for your claim may include past, present, and future damages.
Economic damages could include:
- Medical bills
- In-home and long-term nursing care
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Personal care and household services
- Physical, occupational, and other therapies
- Loss of income and diminished earning potential
The non-economic damages from a truck accident can include physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering. In addition, it may include a decrease in quality of life, permanent disabilities, and loss of enjoyment of life.
It can be challenging to place a value on your pain and suffering. However, our legal team understands how to maximize the value of an injury claim. We’ll fight to get you the most money possible after a tragic truck accident caused by a fatigued driver.
Schedule a Free Consultation If a Tired Truck Driver Caused an Accident in Fort Worth, TX
Fatigued drivers increase the risk of a commercial truck accident. If a driver falls asleep at the wheel, the driver and the truck company could be liable for damages. Call Stephens Law to schedule your free case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer in Fort Worth, TX.
