A collision with a speeding 18-wheeler can have devastating consequences. Given that tractor-trailers can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, the impact of a large truck can be like that of a missile, and people in smaller vehicles often suffer catastrophic injuries in truck accidents.
Large commercial trucks don’t have to be speeding, though, to threaten life and limb.
A UPS truck driver in San Antonio recently suffered fatal injuries while connecting an 18-wheeler to a trailer.
The man was at one of the UPS facilities in San Antonio when the accident happened. He is believed to have been in the process of connecting a large trailer to the truck and had stepped out of the truck to apply the air brakes. However, according to a news report, the emergency brakes had not been applied, and the truck began to roll. After trying to stop the truck, the man was pinned under the double trailer, and he died at the scene.
Victims and their families may have legal options for obtaining compensation.
Every accident is different, but accidents involving large commercial vehicles can be particularly complicated because the trucking and transport industries are subject to strict regulations that do not apply to smaller passenger vehicles.
For example, factors in truck accidents may include any of the following:
- Failure to properly train drivers
- Improper hiring practices
- Hours-of-service violations resulting from pressure to get deliveries done faster
- Improper loading of cargo
- Failure to properly maintain trucks and trailers
- Defective truck parts and poor manufacturing
Additionally, multiple parties, along with their respective insurance companies, may be liable for injuries and deaths resulting from truck accidents. If the accident happened on the job, there may be issues of workers’ compensation and third-party liability to consider.