STRUCTURAL DEFECTS - "Roof Crush" Accidents

Drivers of trucks are just as susceptible to injury in an accident as a driver of a passenger car, but not necessarily because of the impact with the smaller car.  Many truck drivers, whether local or over-the-road, become victims of catastrophic injuries and even death from defects in their own vehicle.  These injuries can occur in ANY size truck.  Some defects that cause injuries are:

Rollovers
Tire Failure (tread separation)
Roof Crush
Defective Seat Belts
Door Latches
Seat Back Collapse
Airbag Failure

 One of the most common injuries is due to “roof crush”, the inability of the roof of the truck from protecting the driver and/or passenger in the event of a roll over.  These injuries can occur from an accident of only 20 miles per hour or less!  The danger is not necessarily the speed of the truck itself, but the weight of the truck on the roof of the cab as it turns over.  Quite frankly, the roof of your truck will not protect you in an accident.  Similar injuries occur from “load shift”, when a truck decelerates and the load shifts to the cab of the truck (such as logging trucks).   Tire failure (tread separation) causing instability is a cause of accidents and seat belt latch defects cause injuries by jettisoning the driver through the windshield of the truck.   A new theory involves the glass that is placed by the manufacturer in the windows of the vehicle.  In the 1920’s auto manufacturers utilized stronger glass.  However, because of the expense, the manufacturers tried to make the windows cheaper by installing the current version found in windows.  There are even documents showing that one major glass manufacturer informed the automobile industry that the use of current windows would make consumers less safe.

 Truckers are more at risk for injury because of the length of time on the road.  You drive more and are thus more likely to be in an accident.  What you may not be aware of is that if you are injured in a single vehicle accident or even an accident involving the fault of another person - or even your own fault- you may have a claim against the manufacturer of your truck for your personal injuries.

 Litigation against truck manufacturers is an expensive endeavor.  Costs can easily reach several hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Attorneys who represent injured truck drivers against a manufacturer are generally looking for cases in which the driver suffered catastrophic injuries (amputation, paralysis, nerve damage, brain damage, etc.).  These cases are usually taken on a 50% contingency fee basis where the lawyer pays all the expenses, and thus takes all the risk, being reimbursed only if the case ends successfully.

If you or someone you know has been injured by a trucking accident - REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS AT FAULT IN THE ACCIDENT - contact me immediately.  Your right to claim compensation is governed by the statute of limitations.  This is a time period in which your lawsuit MUST BE FILED IN COURT or you will NEVER be able to obtain compensation. 

Most client's I have don't drive anymore (if they can even get out of the bed), so if you have a trucking buddy who needs assistance - give them my phone number 205 / 752-4440.

CONTACT ATTORNEY RANDAL FORD by filling in your information below.