Trucking Accidents

Connecticut has suffered its share of large truck accidents resulting in fatalities and catastrophic injuries.  Being involved in an accident with a heavy truck on one of the roads or highways of Connecticut can have a serious impact on your life. With thousands of tractor trailers hauling heavy loads on a daily basis, there are literally thousands of truck accidents every year.

” November 2, 2007
EAST LYME, Conn. --A tanker truck hauling home heating oil crossed into oncoming traffic Friday, killing three people in a multi-vehicle wreck that forced the shutdown for most of the day of a key Northeast highway, state police said.”

From 1992 to 2002, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased due to driver fatigue, unsafe vehicle operation, large, unstable loads or defective equipment. Accidents involving semi-truck, 18-wheeler, and large trucks present many unique issues including driver fatigue, intoxication, driver error, equipment failure, and failure to maintain current inspection standards.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has called on the Motor Vehicles Department to demand proof of insurance from all trucking companies in Connecticut.

"The plain stark fact is uninsured trucks are more likely to have safety problems,'' Blumenthal said. “A 2000 Mack dump truck owned by American Crushing barreled out of control down Avon Mountain on Route 44 and smashed into 19 other vehicles including a commuter bus that were waiting at a traffic signal at the bottom of the hill.  Four people, including the driver of the truck, were killed. Four others were seriously injured. Police believe mechanical failure and possibly driver error caused the crash, which remains under investigation. The truck had a history of safety violations. “

Tractor Trailer accidents involving big rigs and 18-wheelers are special claims. Drivers of these vehicles must have a CDL or commercial driver’s license. In addition, these types of carriers must carry logbooks logging each of their trips down to the hour. Driver fatigue is to blame in large percentage of cases involving commercial drivers. Attorneys handling such claims must also investigate the load and capacity of the cargo area to see what, if any, issues may be present that relate to the accident.

Tractor-trailer accidents cause major damage as they often involve more than just two vehicles. With gross vehicle weights often approaching 40,000 lbs. (without a load) the destruction is often enormous. Cummins Diesel engines are the powerhouses in these rigs that often provide the mass in the wrecks.

Special ratios can be examined to see exactly how much force went into the accident. Formulas using weight, distance and speed can be used to calculate kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is useful when applying analogies to objects and the impact of the force of a tractor trailer. High kinetic energy = high probability of injury.

When speeding on ice, these vehicles jack knife and twist causing lane problems with other vehicles. Car wrecks can be multiple when a rig hits ice and swerves into oncoming and ongoing traffic.

Commercial carriers are required to carry insurance coverage; normally that coverage is one million dollars per accident. This coverage, however, is sometimes not enough when major personal injury occurs. Prudent attorneys will look into excess policies that will govern and cover exposure over the primary policy.

Of the thousands of drivers that keep the US shipment business on track, many are self-employed. It is imperative in any case to check the relationship of the driver, especially the subcontractor, and his/her relationship to the shipping company.