Rice Hauling Semi in Truck Accident on I-80
I’m Ed Smith, an Antioch truck accident lawyer. Traffic along Interstate 80 in Richmond heading westbound was stalled in two lanes on August 23 following a collision between a semitruck and motor vehicle. According to a representative of the California Highway Patrol, no injuries were reported, although a Sig-Alert was issued by the California Department of Transportation following the crash.
What Happened
Details are somewhat sketchy; however, the crash occurred shortly after noon and blocked two lanes on the far right side of the highway heading westbound close to the on-ramp for Carson Boulevard. According to the CHP, the semi was transporting rice at the time, but no spill occurred as a result of the collision. The other vehicle involved in the crash was a small Ford.
Causation Study for Truck Accidents
A report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration assigned reasons for truck crashes that included driver error and other performance errors. The study reached the following conclusions:
- 29 percent of errors were attributed to problems with the truck’s brakes.
- 23 percent were related to excessive speed.
- 22 percent of accidents were related to unfamiliarity with the road.
- 17 percent had over-the-counter drug use by the driver as a factor.
- 14 percent were related to inattention by the driver.
- 13 percent cited fatigue as a factor in the accident.
Vulnerability of a Motor Vehicle Versus a Big Truck
Big trucks are much larger than motor vehicles and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. That is why a collision with a big truck can result in devastating injuries such as internal damage, brain injuries and spinal cord damage. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, statistics compiled for 2015 showed that 3,852 individuals died in collisions with large trucks. Sixty-nine percent of those deaths were those in motor vehicles, while 16 percent were passengers in the big trucks. The decline in deaths over the years of those in big truck/motor vehicle accidents has been considerably higher for the occupants of the trucks than for those in the motor vehicles.
Recovering Accident-Related Expenses
Those who are injured in an accident that is caused by the negligent actions of another can recover the following expenses. While this does not take away the pain and suffering caused by the crash, it helps the victim by recovering compensation to cover the financial end of the loss.
- Medical expenses, including any expenses related to an accident such as durable medical equipment, therapy, transportation to and from the physician’s office, etc.
- Lost time away from work, including bonuses or other lost income
- Pain and suffering (physical and emotional, which may include anxiety, depression, nightmares, sleepless or symptoms of PTSD
- Anticipated future medical expenses if an injury is expected to be ongoing
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of earning capacity if an individual is unable to return to their job in the same capacity due to an injury
Antioch Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Antioch truck accident lawyer. While many truck accidents are caused by the driver of a motor vehicle, about one-third are caused by driver error on the part of a truck driver or other problems such as poor maintenance of a vehicle. When you or a member of your family has suffered an injury due to negligence by a truck driver or trucking company, please call me at (925) 428-5220 or at (800) 404-5400. I am here to offer you my free and friendly advice.
As a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, I am a California trial lawyer who has obtained verdicts or case settlements for clients of at least $1 million.
See reviews by former clients at Yelp, Google and Avvo, along with a synopsis of some cases and their results at Verdicts and Settlements.
I have practiced as an injury lawyer in California, including the Antioch area, since 1982. Over the years, my experienced legal team and I have assisted numerous victims of wrongful death and traumatic injury in obtaining fair compensation.
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Photo Attribution: truck-2138974_1280.jpg Wikimedia Commons
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