Aztec Truck Crash Lawyers

A truck crash is estimated to occur every 15 minutes in the United States, totaling over 400,000 crashes and 4,000 fatalities each year. Weighing up to 80,000 or more pounds, a tractor-trailer’s massive size, speed, and significant stopping distance make it incredibly dangerous and responsible for the most devastating and deadly types of crashes.

Numerous factors cause truck crashes, though determining the exact cause is challenging due to the extent of damage and force of impact. The most common causes of truck crashes include distracted, drunk, fatigued, or inexperienced driving, equipment or system failure, improperly loaded or unsecured cargo, poor maintenance, reckless and improper driving, speeding, tailgating, and poor weather conditions.

How Can Buchanan Law Firm, LLC Help Me After a Truck Crash?

Crashes involving semi-trucks often have catastrophic injuries and devastating outcomes, resulting in significant financial hardship, inability to work, permanent disabilities, and loss affecting entire families. Our experienced Aztec truck crash lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC can perform the following:

• Investigate the scene.
• Review police and company crash reports.
• Gather evidence and data records.
• Interview witnesses.
• Establish your ongoing necessary care.
• Hire industry experts, including medical, engineering, and accident reconstruction.
• File necessary documents.
• Negotiate insurance companies for maximum settlement.
• Litigate the case in court in the event of a trial.

When you are injured in a truck crash, you need the knowledge and skills of a seasoned legal team adept at handling these complex cases. Buchanan Law Firm, LLC has over 20 years of experience and work with an established network of industry experts, recovering millions of dollars in compensation for injured clients.

What Types of Truck Crash Cases Does Buchanan Law Firm, LLC Handle?

Our experienced Aztec truck crash lawyers handle a wide array of truck crashes, including but not limited to head-on collisions, jackknife crashes, rear-end crashes, rollover crashes, T-bone crashes, and underride crashes.

What Types of Injuries Are Common in Truck Crashes?

Truck crash injuries are typically catastrophic and fatal 97 percent of the time. The three percent who survive typically suffer severe, life-altering injuries, including amputation, burns, nerve damage affecting bodily functions, organ damage, paralysis, psychological trauma, neck and spinal cord injuries, and severe traumatic brain injury.

How Is the Trucking Industry Regulated?

Federal trucking regulations are designed to minimize the risks associated with commercial truck operations, reduce the number of crashes, and protect all motorists. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the primary federal agency responsible for regulating the trucking industry. It enforces a wide range of regulations regarding size, weight, cargo, intrastate travel, passengers, and speed, as well as:

• Driver qualifications: Truck drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which includes passing a written test, a driving and skills test, and a background check.
• Hours of service: Drivers must adhere to a strict number of driving hours per day and week to prevent driver fatigue, a major contributing factor in many truck crashes.
• Vehicle maintenance: Commercial trucks must be properly maintained to ensure their safety, and the FMCSA requires owners and drivers to inspect and maintain their trucks regularly.
• Hazardous materials transportation: Hazardous materials must be transported by strict safety regulations. The FMCSA requires truck drivers to be trained to safely transport hazardous materials and properly label and secure their cargo.

The FMCSA and other law enforcement agencies conduct regular inspections of commercial trucks to ensure compliance with federal regulations, typically performed at roadside checkpoints, weigh stations, and truck terminals. Drivers can be issued a citation or placed out of service for trucks found to be out of compliance, and the FMCSA takes enforcement actions against trucking companies with poor safety records.

Other federal agencies have roles in enforcing trucking regulations in addition to the FMCSA, such as:

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sets safety standards for commercial trucks and other vehicles, investigates crashes, and develops programs to reduce truck-related fatalities and injuries.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes and enforces worker safety in the trucking industry, including regulations for loading and unloading cargo and ensuring workers have access to proper safety equipment.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the transportation of hazardous materials and sets standards for commercial truck emissions.

What Training Are Truck Drivers Required to Complete?

Truck drivers must complete extensive training to obtain a commercial driver’s license to operate and maintain a tractor-trailer, which includes:

• Defensive driving in extreme weather conditions
• Emergency driving techniques
• Federal driving regulations
• Identification of potential hazards and avoidance
• Navigating mountainous roads
• Proper gear shifting
• Proper inspection methods
• Safe backing techniques
• Safe night driving

Who Is Liable for My Injuries From a Truck Crash?

Semi-truck crashes are challenging and complex due to the potentially multiple responsible parties, including: 

• Truck driver: If the driver, who often owns their own truck, operated the truck recklessly, such as tailgating or speeding, which led to the accident, the driver is likely at fault.
• Trucking company: If the truck is company-owned, the driver’s employer is the most common party responsible for truck crashes.
• Truck owner: Commercial trucks are often owned by a third party, who may be responsible if the truck is poorly maintained or lacks regulation safety systems.
• Truck manufacturer: If a defective part or system causes the crash, the manufacturer may also be responsible, especially if they knowingly continued using the defective component.

How Is Fault Determined in Truck Crashes?

Though determining the cause of truck crashes can be challenging, technology and federal and state trucking regulations make it far easier to gather evidence than car crashes. Valuable evidentiary data can be collected from black and braking box data, cargo manifests, dash and traffic camera footage, dispatch instructions, driving maneuvers, maintenance and service records, police reports, and records of the driver’s cell phone use, break schedules, drug testing, and driving, speed, and violation records.

What Is My Truck Crash Worth?

Compensation is significant in truck crashes due to the severity of injuries, fatalities, and level of damage. Compensation includes economic damages, such as medical expenses, lost income and future earning ability, home modification, and non-economic damages, such as emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of life enjoyment.

When Should I Speak to a Lawyer After a Truck Crash?

As soon as possible. Truck claims are complex and lengthy. New Mexico’s statute of limitations for filing personal injury cases is three years from the date of the crash or death, so the sooner you involve a lawyer, the better.

What Should I Do After a Truck Crash?

Gathering evidence immediately after a truck crash can support your claim. You should do the following:

• Call the police and report the crash and injuries.
• Photograph the scene, damage, and relevant factors.
• Exchange information with the driver.
• Gather witness statements.
• Maintain all records and communication.
• Consult an Aztec truck crash lawyer
• Most importantly, seek medical attention.

Our Aztec Truck Crash Lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC Fight for Clients Injured in Tractor-Trailer Collisions

At Buchanan Law Firm, LLC, our Aztec truck crash lawyers have seen first-hand how the physical, emotional, and financial devastation truck crashes cause and hold all responsible parties accountable. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck crash, we can help you fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Call today at 505-900-3559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we serve clients in Santa Fe and surrounding areas.