The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a “large truck” as one that weighs more than 10,000 pounds. An 18-wheeler tractor-trailer can weigh over eight times as much: over 80,000 pounds. Such a rig can weigh 40 times as much as a car. A truck of that size traveling among passenger cars poses an inherent risk to the cars’ drivers and passengers.
Unfortunately, many of those risky trips end badly. According to the NHTSA, approximately 416,000 accidents involving large trucks occurred in the United States in 2004. Those accidents left more than 5,000 people dead and 116,000 people injured. Of the victims, 77% of those who died and 73% of those who were injured were in passenger vehicles.
Truck accident cases in San Jose and throughout Northern California often involve severe injuries and pose unique legal problems and concerns. Anyone involved in a truck accident, along with their loved ones, should immediately seek help from an experienced accident attorney. When an accident occurs, it’s important to have someone on your side who can examine the specific facts of your case and determine whether negligence caused your injuries and who should be held accountable.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, don’t hesitate to contact the skilled San Jose truck crash injury attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates. Our lawyers will examine your case and help you seek damages that may help compensate you for costs associated with your accident. Please call us today at 877-862-6288 for a free consultation.
