Truck Accident Case Verdicts are Rising  

Auto accidents are a risk whenever someone gets behind the wheel of a car; however, some situations are particularly dangerous. One example involves truck accidents. Trucks and tractor-trailer accidents are still a common sight when people drive down the road. Now, some trucking fleets are having a hard time finding adequate liability coverage because of the major risk involved in truck accidents. Some insurance companies are leaving this market entirely. Unfortunately, information that has been published by the United States Department of Transportation is not going to make this situation any easier for truck drivers and companies.

According to the government agency, the number of trucking accidents has been on the rise over the past few years even though the total number has dropped when compared to decades past. Furthermore, there has also been a rise in the number of major verdicts in trucking accidents with many being as high as tens of millions of dollars. This money is awarded to the families of victims involved in truck accidents.

One of the most high-profile cases took place a few years ago. A truck owned by Walmart injured several people including Tracy Morgan, which is a well-known comedian and actor. He had to undergo an extensive amount of rehab and physical therapy to get back on his feet. He still has some residual effects from this accident but has been able to resume his career. This case did not go before a jury; however, the family of one man who was killed received $10 million as a result of the settlement. Tracy Morgan and Walmart settled the case for an amount. That was not disclosed. In the past ten years, there have been several cases settled for $20 million or more.

This is becoming a serious issue for truck drivers and people need to think about how and why these accidents are taking place. According to stromlawyers.com, some of the most common causes of truck accidents include, “speeding, distracted driving and other forms of driver negligence.” Furthermore, another major concern is that truck drivers might be falling asleep behind the wheel. Truck drivers are regularly paid by the mile. There is an incentive for drivers to drive longer and farther. Unfortunately, this also leads to truck drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. Because of the sheer size of trucks, it is not unusual for people to suffer serious injuries that might impact them for the rest of their lives. Therefore, measures must be taken to prevent these accidents in the future.