Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Charlotte, North Carolina is home to many commercial drivers. Delivery truck drivers, semi-truck drivers, and tractor-trailer buses all use our interstate system to conduct their business. When commercial drivers become overly tired, distracted, or unfocused, their negligent driving can cause serious motor vehicle accidents. Industrial vehicle accidents, especially ones involving semi-trucks, can be extremely dangerous or fatal. The massive size of semi-trucks increases the damage that they can cause when they are involved in accidents with smaller vehicles.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we understand how difficult it is to recover from an injury suffered during a commercial vehicle accident. Accidents involving tow trucks, delivery trucks, garbage trucks, taxis, or other commercial vehicles can cause severe and long-lasting injuries. If your life has changed after suffering injuries in a crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Our skilled commercial vehicle accident attorneys can sit down with you and discuss all of your legal options. We have helped many Charlotte clients receive compensation for their injuries. To set up your complimentary initial consultation, contact our law office today.

Sometimes commercial drivers rely on their truck's side mirrors when making a lane change. Side mirrors can create blind spots that make it difficult to determine how close other motor vehicles are. When blind spots prevent full visibility, commercial drivers can make unsafe lane changes resulting in a collision with another car that the driver could not see. These hazardous lane changes can cause a chain reaction of crashes.

Many commercial vehicles are larger and broader than typical cars and trucks. If a semi-truck driver is speeding, brakes too quickly, or turns too sharply, it could result in the semi-truck rolling over. Due to their large size, when semi-trucks roll over, they can block all of the open freeway lanes. If other drivers cannot stop in time, they might unavoidably collide with the semi-truck, causing severe or fatal injuries to some or all involved.

Semi-trucks are called “18-wheelers” because they have 18 wheels. Sometimes tires blow out because a sharp object on the road causes them to pop. In other cases, negligent maintenance results in tire blowouts. For example, if a truck driver notices that a tire is threadbare and does not replace it with a new tire, he or she could face liability. The plaintiff would need to prove that the driver's negligence resulted in a tire blowout and caused a collision. Additionally, when a tire blows out, the shreds of tires can cause pieces of debris to hit other vehicles on the road. Other motorists may even swerve their vehicles to avoid hitting rubber or debris and cause additional accidents.

In many cases, the same things that cause typical car accidents also cause commercial vehicle accidents. If you have suffered an injury in a commercial vehicle accident, it is crucial to find out the cause of the crash and which driver is liable. Common causes of negligent commercial driving include the following:

• Improper maintenance or mechanical inspections
• The use of unsafe equipment
• Reckless or aggressive driving
• Talking or texting while driving
• Eating, drinking, or talking while driving
• Fatigue caused by deadlines that are too tight
• Unbalanced cargo loads
• Loads that are too heavy to drive safely
• Driving under the influence of illegal substances or alcohol
• Using excessive speed while driving
• Braking too quickly
• Making negligent lane changes

Depending on the facts of your case, you might be able to bring a lawsuit against the commercial vehicle driver. You might also be able to bring a lawsuit against the driver's employer. If the employer used improper hiring techniques such as not screening potential employees properly, the employer could be held liable. Similarly, if the employer conducted improper maintenance on the vehicle or implemented policies that encouraged commercial drivers to speed or drive unsafely, they could face liability for your injuries.

At Arnold & Smith PLLC, our experienced commercial vehicle accident attorneys have an in-depth understanding of the laws involving commercial drivers in the state. If you or a family member have suffered an injury from a commercial vehicle accident in North Carolina, we can help. With office locations in Charlotte, Lake Norman, and Monroe, we make it easy for our clients to meet with us. Contact our law firm today to set up your free initial consultation.