Bentonville Truck Accident Attorneys
The vast majority of truck accidents across the nation, in Arkansas, and in and around Bentonville result in serious, life-altering injuries. Many also result in death. No passenger vehicle stands a chance against a big rig.
A collision with a large truck is drastically different than being involved in an accident with another smaller vehicle. Commercial truck accidents can cause catastrophic, horrific injuries resulting in permanent disabilities, severe physical, emotional, and financial damages, or death.
If you have been in a truck accident, contact the truck accident attorneys at the Bentonville Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield. Big rig crashes are complex, as not just the truck driver is involved in a lawsuit.
What the Rules and Regulations Are For The Trucking Industry
There are rules and regulations to make the trucking industry safer, but that safety lies in the hands of truckers and trucking companies. Trucking companies typically insist on strict quotas and tight deadlines and in trying to meet strict deadlines, accidents happen. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) classifies large trucks as having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 10,000 pounds. An 18-wheeler can be as heavy as 80,000 pounds.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 5,700 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents in 2021. This was an 18 percent jump from 2020 and a 49 percent hike in the last decade. SC statistics indicated that big rigs accounted for 9 percent of all vehicles in fatal wrecks and 5 percent of all vehicles.
Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 117,300 large trucks were in crashes resulting in an injury. There are an estimated 1.2 million trucking companies in the nation, with 97 percent running 20 or fewer trucks and 90 percent operating with 6 or fewer vehicles.
The nation’s economy relies on truckers to freight and delivers approximately 70 percent of all goods shipped annually – goods worth about $671 billion. Accidents involving big rigs can result in injuries to the trucker, approximately 27 percent.
Reliable Parties in a Bentonville Car and Truck Accident
Truck accidents can involve multiple parties, including the trucker, the truck owner or lessor, the vehicle manufacturers, parts makers, the government, insurance companies, the owner of the load on the rig, the trucking company, and possibly the person or persons who performed maintenance on the truck. Additionally, they involve state and federal laws.
Despite the frequency of big rig accidents in the U.S. and Arkansas, the industry continues to grow to transport goods the nation needs. Trucking companies, warehouses, and other related trucking industries provide work for roughly 8.9 million people, with close to 3.5 million truckers driving. Interesting fact: UPS employs 60,000 workers, with 9 percent being owner/operator.
A total of 5,788 people perished in semi-truck crashes in 2021, resulting in the number of deaths increasing 17 percent over 2020. Those killed in truck crashes were, for the majority of accidents, passengers in other vehicles (72 percent), truck occupants (17 percent), and cyclists and pedestrians (11 percent).
Being involved in a big rig accident is devastating, and much of the time, such collisions are fatal – usually about 71 percent for occupants of a smaller vehicle.
Recent Reports on Big Rigs and Trucks
The most dangerous types of accidents involve big rigs, and trucks cannot stop on a dime. Fully loaded tractor-trailers need up to 40 percent more distance to stop than passenger vehicles. If the road is rain or snow-slicked, the time to stop increases. Additionally, if the truck’s brakes are not in good working order, this increases the time a semi needs to stop.
For a closer look at the carnage on the road involving large truck accidents, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) has the following figures to offer:
- Eleven percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2021 were the result of large truck crashes.
- Crashes involving big rigs (tractor-trailers) in 2021 resulted in a 74 percent death rate.
- Single-unit trucks were involved in 27 percent of 2021 accidents.
- Some truck crashes involved a single-unit truck and a tractor-trailer.
- In 2021, 63 percent of big rig occupants killed in multiple vehicle crashes were in accidents with another semi.
- Twelve percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths and 22 percent of motor vehicle occupant fatalities in multiple-vehicle collisions involved large trucks.
- In 2021 48 percent of large truck deaths happened on major roads.
- And, 36 percent happened on interstates and freeways, such as those close to Bentonville.
- The time of large truck crashes typically happened between 6 a.m. And 3 p.m. represented 50 percent of big rig crashes in 2021.
- Further figures for 2021 indicate 31 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities were recorded in the aftermath of a head-on collision with a big rig, and 24 percent died as a result of being side-struck by a semi.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Bentonville
Truck accidents can happen anytime. Being in a wreck is shocking. You need help. Here are some things that you may be able to do if you can.
- If you can find your cell phone, get a hold of it. Dictate notes about the crash if you can. Take lots of pictures of the inside and outside of your vehicle, the position, the road debris, the other car, any signs or signals in the area, and pictures of any injuries you may have.
- Taking pictures helps protect your legal rights, and helps your attorney get a good understanding of your situation. Send your pictures and videos to a friend or yourself.
- Call the police as soon as you can. Try to get a copy of the police report of the incident.
- If you are badly injured and cannot move, you may not be able to obtain the truck driver’s information. Just do what you can do given the circumstances of your accident.
- You or someone else needs to notify your insurance company about the collision. If you cannot do this, your lawyer can take care of crash notifications and gather all relevant information for you.
- Seek legal representation as soon as possible. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we are with you every step of the way as we work to ensure you receive adequate compensation for your injuries.
Truck accidents are catastrophic and often result in serious, life-altering injuries or death. They are known to result in high jury awards or settlements. Typically, several factors play a role in the determination of an award. Those factors include the full extent of economic damages, the intangible damages sustained by the survivor, and the nature and degree of the negligence involved. Property damage is also part of the settlement equation.
The Benefits of Hiring a Bentonville Truck Accident Attorney After a Serious Crash
To ensure you receive the compensation you need and deserve, our Bentonville truck accident attorneys at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield cover a lot of ground to make your case.
Here are just some of the things we do for you:
- Analyze vehicle damage
- Assess if all traffic laws were obeyed
- Check the trucker’s maintenance records
- Check and validate the trucker’s credentials
- Check on the onboard black box
- Examine truck driver’s logs
- Identify other individuals who may have contributed to the crash
- Investigate the scene of the crash
- Interview eyewitnesses
- Locate and verify all lines of insurance, and all coverage available
- Review police and accident reports
The Statute of Limitations in Arkansas is 3 years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit for negligence that causes a motor vehicle accident resulting in injury or death.
Common Causes of Bentonville Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are caused by several things, including:
- Tire blow out
- Insecure trailer
- Suspension/steering system failure
- Power train failure
- Improper cargo towing
- Speeding
- Texting
- DUI
- Unsecured loads
- Improperly secured loads
- Unbalanced loads
- Unqualified truck drivers
- Improperly, inadequately trained drivers
- Driver fatigue
- Driver error
- Aggressive driving
- Reckless driving
- Substance abuse
- Unlicensed/unqualified drivers
- Improper vehicle maintenance
- Defective parts/equipment
- Improperly-weighted loads
- Equipment malfunction
- Mechanical failure
- Poor weather
- Poor roads
Do not wait to contact a skilled Bentonville truck accident lawyer if you have been injured in a truck accident. Time is of the essence in these complex cases.
How long after a truck accident do you have to file a claim?
The Statute of Limitations in Arkansas is 3 years for bodily injury. It is also 3 years for property damage.
When a big rig is involved in a crash with a car, truck, motorcycle, or pedestrian, it almost always results in serious permanent injuries or death. A fully loaded semi is a deadly weapon.
Many large truck crashes are the result of a driver’s negligence, and even in the face of federal and state laws, and various industry rules and regulations, those very rules and regulations are often ignored to deliver a load on time.
Top 3 Things to Look For When Choosing a Bentonville Truck Accident Attorney
People who have been involved in a truck accident do not usually know what their injuries are worth or how the seriousness of those injuries factors into a settlement or even a court case. Usually, insurance plays a large part in truck accidents in the sense that they attempt to get an accident survivor to settle quickly and for less than what they may deserve by taking the case to court.
Look for a Bentonville truck accident lawyer who knows how to deal with insurance companies, who can ensure you are treated fairly, and who prepares your case like they are going to trial. Look for a Bentonville lawyer who understands how to work with insurance companies to “your” benefit, not theirs.
Being in a frightening truck accident means the survivors have a whole host of questions. How am I going to work? Who is going to take care of the bills? Will I be able to work again?
Look for a Bentonville truck accident lawyer who knows your dilemma and has handled hundreds of cases, an attorney who explains everything in depth, leaving no question unanswered and no stone unturned. A Bentonville truck accident lawyer dedicated to helping you make it through the worst experience of your life.
Truck accidents are catastrophic. Injuries can be life-altering. Death may even be an outcome in such situations. Look for a Bentonville truck accident lawyer who refuses to let an insurance company pull a fast one and offer you a lowball, early, and time-sensitive offer. They only want to pressure you to take less rather than go to court and pay more.
Look for a Bentonville truck accident attorney who has handled hundreds of insurance claims, knows the tricks of the industry, and works hard to get you what you need and deserve in the aftermath of a big rig crash.
At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we find many truck accident survivors do not realize how other damages can be recovered in the wake of a semi-collision. They are also not aware of what insurance company pays the compensation or how insurance companies would rather diminish or dismiss such a claim. The best Bentonville truck accident attorneys at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield work on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing upfront. You pay only when we win your case.
Contact the Bentonville Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield Today
If someone you loved was involved in a Bentonville truck accident, call the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield at 479-361-3575. Our dedicated team of Bentonville truck accident attorneys is here to help, answer all of your questions, and help you navigate a difficult time in your life.
Call us today for a free initial consultation and to find out what you can expect should you file a personal injury lawsuit. We know you have questions, and we can answer them for you. The Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield is just one quick call away: 479-361-3575.