If you have suffered a personal injury in an accident involving a semi-truck or a single unit truck, you have the right to be compensated for medical expenses, property damages and emotional damages. Contact Trucking Accident Attorney Tim Henderson to discuss your trucking accident claim as soon as possible so you can be sure you have someone acting as your advocate.  He has represented clients in Joliet, Oak Brook and throughout the Chicagoland area including towns in Cook, Kane, Will and DuPage Counties.  Success is no accident but a result of hard work, commitment and dedication. As your personal injury attorney, he will work hard to make sure you receive your maximum compensation NOW. Call (312) 444-9400 for your free consultation.

According to the Illinois Crash Data supplied by the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 949 fatal crashes with 1032 fatalities in 2018.  When compared to 2017 Illinois saw an decrease of 57  fatalities in 2018.  In the first 4 months of 2019, there have been 26 fatalities involving semi-trucks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded 37,133 vehicle fatalities in 2017 which was approximately a 2 percent decline from 2016.  However, large truck fatalities rose 9 percent to 4,761 during this same time period.  Of those fatalities, 1300 of the deaths were truck drivers with the remaining 72 percent occurring in the other vehicle.

Data from the National Safety Council shows that there were over 40,000 vehicle fatalities in 2018 and approximately 4.5 million were seriously injured.

Typically truck accidents cause greater harm than accidents involving other types of vehicles because of the sheer size and weight of most trucks.  If you are the victim in a trucking accident, determining what caused the accident and who was responsible can be complicated. The truck’s driver, the owner of the truck and or trailer, the company leasing the truck or trailer, the manufacturer of the part that failed (if this is
In an effort to provide some clarification of responsible parties, Federal Law states that any company owning a trucking permit is responsible for all accidents involving a truck displaying its name or placard.

While there are many contributing factors when a truck/vehicle crash occurs, some commonly seen causes include:

• Fatigue – Truck driver fatigue can play a major role in crash.  Fatigue can be a result of long hours on the road, lack of sleep, poor sleep or a number of other psychological or physiological factors.
• Hours on the road – Even though hours on the road are federally regulated, violations in hours and breaks still occur.
• Driving too fast for conditions – drivers often don’t adjust their speed to allow for reduced visibility, poor road conditions, slick surfaces or other weather related conditions that require slower speeds.
• Truck braking capabilities – Loaded tractor-trailers can take 20-40 percent farther than cars to stop.  This distance increases if road conditions are poor or brakes have been poorly maintained.
• Unqualified or under qualified drivers
• Improper vehicle maintenance – worn tires, faulty brakes, etc.
• Speed – Speeds above 45 mph double the risk of a fatal crash.
• Deadlines – Many companies promote themselves for “on time” deliveries or “speedy” deliveries.  Drivers are encouraged to make these delivery deadlines.  Rushing to make a deadline does not allow for weather reduced speeds or thorough pre and post trip vehicle inspections.