Despite its relatively sparse population, Utah’s central position in the Mountain West makes it a central trucking hub and, unfortunately, also the site of thousands of accidents involving semis and other big rig trucks every single year. Hundreds of those accidents result in personal injuries, and dozens of them involve fatalities.
THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS
When a 10,000-pound (or heavier) big truck collides with an ordinary passenger vehicle, it is not hard to understand what will likely be the results of the mismatch. Even “ordinary” car crashes often leave people with serious lifelong injuries, but truck accidents have higher injury rates and tend to cause more severe injuries.
Some of the most common truck accident injuries include:
- Head injuries, including brain trauma, concussions, and whiplash
- Back and neck injuries, such as dislocated discs in the spinal cord injuries and full or partial paralysis
- Rib cage and torso damage, frequently involving internal bleeding and damage to vital organs
- Deep lacerations, facial disfigurement, and body scars that never fully heal
Additionally, victims of truck accidents are 10 times more likely to suffer a wrongful death, and those who survive often lose their ability to provide for their family, even as mounting medical bills and other accident-related expenses pile higher.
THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS
When the truck driver is at fault, the most common causes of truck accidents are as follows:
- Driver Distraction: The driver was not paying attention to the situation on the road.
- Sleeping Behind the Wheel: Many drivers are overworked and overtired. Dozing while driving is a very real possibility.
- Bad Decisions: The truck driver may have been speeding, following other vehicles too closely, or disregarding the presence of other vehicles while turning/shifting lanes.
In Utah, you must prove both that your injuries are “serious” enough to merit an exception to the No-Fault Car Insurance Rule and that the other party caused the accident through his/her negligence to receive compensation. To establish these facts, you will almost certainly need the assistance of an experienced truck accident lawyer.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Utah truck accident, it is critical that you contact a good truck accident lawyer without delay to ensure you receive just compensation.
Feel free to call EGC Legal 24/7 at (801) 901-3470 or to fill out our online contact form to get started on your claim today.