With more than 8.4 million large trucks traveling U.S. roadways each day, there is ample chance of a trucking accident in Fort Collins or elsewhere in the country. In fact, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, also known as FARS, there are more than 4,500 crashes each year, with more than 5,200 people killed.
Fort Collins Trucking Accident Lawyer Steve Shanahan understands these are often devastating crashes. And they are typically complex cases, involving state and federal trucking laws, out-of-state drivers and trucking companies and large insurance companies and their attorneys.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, of the more than 33,000 people killed annually in U.S. traffic crashes, about 10 percent die in accidents involving large trucks. Additionally, more than 74,000 people are injured each year in accidents that involve tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks.
Semi-trucks and large trailers can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds or more. That’s tens of thousands of pounds of metal, rubber, glass and steel – not to mention whatever hazardous material the truck may be carrying – that can come barreling your way in a heartbeat. The potential for serious and fatal injuries is high when someone is involved in this type of a crash.
What’s more, most of the people injured or killed in these wrecks are not the truckers themselves. In fact, just 22 percent of those injured and 15 percent of those killed were riding in the truck at the time of the crash.
If you’ve been involved in a Colorado trucking accident, an experienced Fort Collins trucking accident attorney can help you navigate a number of issues. First, you will need someone to help you determine why the crash occurred. Were road conditions a problem, or was the truck driver fatigued? How many hours had the truck driver been on the road at the time of the crash?
Those who are injured in a crash involving a large truck are more likely to suffer major injuries, as compared to someone involved in an accident with another passenger car. People who have been injured in an accident involving a large truck could be entitled to compensation for:
- Lost wages, including your future lost earnings.
- Coverage of medical expenses, including future medical bills. Sometimes, the full extent of your injuries might not be apparent until long after the crash.
- Pain and suffering, which is particularly based on your quality of life now compared to prior to the accident, as well as what your future quality of life looks like.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the government organization that oversees the U.S. trucking industry, trucks account for 10 percent of all miles traveled in this country each year. They also account for 4 percent of all vehicles owned in the country. What that tells us is there is a higher likelihood that these vehicles will be involved in a crash, as compared to smaller vehicles.
When it comes to motor vehicle crashes, the FMCSA reported:
- Trucks were involved in 7 percent of all fatal crashes;
- Trucks were involved in 2 percent of all injury crashes;
- Trucks were involved in 3 percent of all crashes in which there was only property damage;
The most common kind of truck involved in crashes are tractors pulling semi-trailers. These are responsible for 61 percent of the trucks involved in fatal crashes, and 47 percent of trucks in non-fatal accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident in Fort Collins or the surrounding area, you need the experience and dedication of Fort Collins Injury Attorney Steve Shanahan. Consultations are free, and Shanahan isn’t paid unless you win. Justice shouldn’t be left to chance.
Fort Collins Accident Attorney – 970-204-9999 – Free Consultation