The Underlying Cause of Trucking Accidents
The trucking industry has made it a standard practice to take new drivers and churn them through a grueling, overly demanding system that causes people to drive themselves into an early grave. Using a pay scheme that only rewards truck drivers for the miles they drive, companies leave drivers unpaid for the vital non-driving work they do.
- Self-inspection
- Rig inspections at weigh-ins
- Waiting for loading and unloading
- Planning routes
- Getting a full night of rest before any drive
- Rig maintenance (independent contractors)
As a result, drivers are forced to drive long hours without breaks in order to "make the miles," leading to increased accident rates. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that 1 in 4 crashes happen after 17+ hours of driving without a break. These practices contribute directly to unsafe roads and vehicle accident fatalities. Of the thousands of truck accident fatalities that occur every year, around 700 of them are truck drivers themselves. Everyone pays the price for industry practices. Our Corpus Christi truck accident lawyers know that everyone—from those in cars to those driving trucks—all are placed at risk by industry practices.
- Box truck crashes
- Flatbed truck accidents
- Garbage truck accidents
- Jackknife accidents
- Underride accidents
- Tanker truck crashes
- Tow truck collisions
- Commercial vehicle crashes
Industry veterans even instruct new drivers with "unofficial" curriculum that encourages them to use underhanded or deceptive tactics to get around federal trucking regulations. For instance, it's common practice for drivers to keep two hours-of-service logbooks, allowing them to always have a logbook that appears compliant with the law while allowing them to drive for several hours longer than is safe.
Common Semi-Truck Accident Injuries
Because semi-trucks are so large and heavy, they can cause catastrophic damage to other vehicles. The people in these vehicles may experience injuries that alter the courses of their lives or leave their families without loved ones. Specific injuries will vary depending on the vehicles involved, the location of impact, how fast the truck and the other vehicle were traveling, and a number of other factors.
The injuries experienced in a Corpus Christi truck accident may include:
- Severe burns
- Head trauma
- Internal organ damage
- Crush injuries
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations
Some injuries are not physical in nature. A person who has been in a serious semi-truck crash may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, insomnia, depression, and other psychological trauma.
Liability for a Corpus Christi Truck Accident
There are multiple parties that may be liable (legally responsible) for causing a trucking accident. The trucking company could be responsible for failing to hire trained and cautious drivers, a truck driver could be responsible for getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a shipping company could be responsible for improperly loading a truck, or a manufacturer could be to blame for producing a truck part that malfunctioned. Liability in your case can be revealed after a thorough investigation.
By working with investigators and accident reconstruction specialists, our Corpus Christi truck accident firm can determine what caused a crash and who's liable.
Types of Compensation Available
A person who has been injured in a truck accident may be able to recover compensation from the at-fault party (or parties). This is meant to help them rebuild to where their lives were before the accident occurred and may include economic and non-economic damages to cover every loss, expense, and injury they experienced.
Some examples of compensation in a truck accident case include the following:
- Medical bills, including hospitalization, medication, medical supplies, and more
- Ongoing treatment and care, such as physical therapy or assistive devices
- Lost earnings, wages, and benefits, including loss of future earnings
- Emotional trauma, such as pain, suffering, and mental anguish
Recovering a fair settlement or award may not be able to prevent an accident from occurring in the first place, but it can serve to make a difference by holding the responsible parties accountable and giving survivors and families a way to face stable and secure futures.
UPS Truck Accident Attorneys in Corpus Christi
UPS is one of the leaders of the freight delivery industry with a 27 percent overall market share. Unfortunately, they've also been party to a 27 percent increase in injuries caused by drivers from 2015 to 2017 (compared with the same length of time ending in 2012). In the two-year period between December 2015 and December 2017, UPS drivers were involved with 2,003 accidents that killed 49 people. They employ a total of 119,000 vehicles, including vehicles other than trucks.
Find out how often trucking companies get into accidents on the FMCSA website.
Corpus Christi FedEx Truck Accident Lawyers
FedEx is a close second to UPS' domination of the freight delivery industry. FedEx has a 23 percent market share and employs a fleet of more than 90,000 vehicles. It leads the industry in another way—according to the Center for Responsive Politics, FedEx had 51 lobbyists on its payroll in 2014. Thirty-seven of those lobbyists once held federal government positions. Their lobbying efforts did not seem to match their safety efforts: FedEx saw a 254 percent increase in its number of crashes from 2015 to 2017, with a 273 percent increase in the number of fatalities.
If you were harmed in a FedEx or UPS truck accident, call our Corpus Christi commercial vehicle attorneys for help holding either company accountable.
About Corpus Christi, TX
Located in South Texas, Corpus Christi is located on the coast and is the county seat of Nueces County. Its name means “Body of Christ” in Latin, named by an explorer from Spain who discovered the area on the Feast of Corpus Christi. The area acted as a trading post during the Mexican-American War and was the site of a key battle during the Civil War. Today, Corpus Christi is a bustling city with an economy that spans many sectors, from chemical and petroleum manufacturing to aerospace and aviation.
Corpus Christi is home to numerous neighborhoods and suburbs. Some of these neighborhoods include Bayside, South Side, North Beach, Mustang Island, and Gardendale. Key suburbs include Portland and Robstown. The main ways in and out of Corpus Christi are by air (the Corpus Christi International Airport) and highway. Texas State Highway 44 connects the city to Laredo and southwestern Texas, while Interstate 37 and Interstate 69E connect Corpus Christi to Victoria and Brownsville. Within the city, commuters can get around via public transportation on 28 bus routes controlled by the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority.
The major highways in the Corpus Christi area are:
- U.S. Highway 77
- U.S. Highway 181
- Interstate 37
- Interstate 68E
- Texas State Highway 35
- Texas State Highway 44
- Texas State Highway 286
- Texas State Highway 357
- Texas State Highway 358
- Texas State Highway 361
Freight comes into Corpus Christi from San Antonio through the Union Pacific Railroad. Domestic and international goods come through the Port of Corpus Christi, which is the fifth largest port in the United States. The Harbor Bridge and the John F. Kennedy Causeway provide access to Corpus Christi as well.
Corpus Christi Links & Info
Get a Free Consultation with Our Corpus Christi Trucking Lawyers
Arnold & Itkin's job is simple: we help people get their lives back after a life-shattering accident. Our trucking attorneys have won billions of dollars for our clients, helping them get medical care, keep their homes, feed their families, and replace their present and future income. Every case begins with one phone call (or online form).
If our Corpus Christi truck accident lawyers can help you, we'll cover the cost of your case from start to finish, no matter how long it takes. We pay for court fees, expert witnesses, accident reconstruction—whatever is necessary to make your case as strong as possible. We even advance our fee so our clients never pay a single penny out of pocket. If you win your case, our firm receives an agreed-upon portion of it to pay for the case costs. If you don't, you'll still owe nothing–we absorb the costs.
When negligence changes lives, our Corpus Christi truck accident lawyers demand the answers clients need. Call us now for a free consultation at (888) 493-1629.
