San Jose Truck Accident Attorney
Helping Victims of Truck Accidents Throughout Santa Clara County
The devastation that can be caused when a large commercial truck collides with a smaller passenger vehicle cannot be overstated. It is a simple matter of physics. Newton’s second law states that force equals mass times acceleration. The huge discrepancy between the mass of a semi truck and a small car leads to the extremely violent force that the truck will inflict upon the car. Whereas your typical car may weigh about 4,000 lbs, your typical semi tractor with trailer can weigh anywhere from 20,000 to a maximum legal weight of 80,000 pounds, depending on the size of the truck and how much cargo it is carrying.
Based on these numbers, a truck can be anywhere from 5 to 20 times heavier than a car. Due to their weight, it takes much longer for a truck to stop when it is confronted with a hazard. This makes it much more difficult for large trucks to avoid collisions. When a collision occurs between vehicles with this much weight disparity, the chances of the accident ending in a fatality is dramatically increased. This is why truck accidents are so dangerous and the results are frequently tragic.
Truck Driver Have Required Rest Times
Making things worse, truck drivers frequently spend long hours behind the wheel. Just like airline pilots have limitations on the hours that they are permitted to fly, there are also legal limitations on how long a truck driver can drive. Pursuant to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, a commercial truck driver involved in interstate commerce is only permitted to drive a maximum of 11 hours before needing to take a 10 hour rest period, among other restrictions. Although this is the legal requirement, it is well known in the trucking industry that commercial drivers frequently violate these standards and become excessively fatigued, which puts other vehicles on the road at a heightened risk.
Holding Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies Accountable
When a commercial truck driver causes a collision with a passenger vehicle that causes serious injury or death, the truck company must be held legally accountable. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you will need to retain an experienced attorney to pursue maximum compensation from the at-fault trucking company. Trucking companies generally have insurance policies with substantial coverage, but that does not mean that the insurance carrier will provide compensation to an accident victim without a fight. They will use every tactic possible to pay out as little money on your claim as possible. This is why it is critical to hire a truck accident attorney to be on your team and fight for every dollar of compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
How We Can Help
Suits Litigation, Inc is here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve if you or a family member has been injured in a truck accident. James C. Suits II will provide legal guidance and representation through every step of the process, from the moment he is first contacted to the time when the recovered funds are distributed. Your focus should be on the healing process, both physical and psychological, for the injuries that were caused by the truck driver’s negligence. Your lawyer’s focus should be on navigating the challenging legal process of pursuing an insurance claim or filing a lawsuit in court.
James personally conducts every free consultation, so you will have the opportunity to discuss the accident, your injuries, and the best strategy to seek justice for the losses that you have suffered. Once James is on your team, he will focus relentlessly on obtaining maximum compensation in the minimum amount of time. He will handle the heavy lifting in the case and make your job as easy as possible, which will enable you to spend your time and energy on recovering from the injuries or death of a loved one.
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
Please feel free to call our San Jose, California office at (408) 479-7622 for a free consultation with James regarding your truck accident and how he can help you receive the compensation you deserve.