Commercial vehicles carry cargo. This cargo, if it is not properly secured in the vehicle, can become loose, either resulting instability in the tractor trailer, or resulting in debris ending up on roads. When this happens, innocent people in passenger vehicles can be hurt or killed. If you were hurt due to road debris, or were hurt because a truck company or driver failed to properly secure a truck’s load, consider reaching out to the Cooper Law Firm, a truck accident lawyer in Texas today. According to AAA, 200,000 accidents have been attributed to drivers failing to secure their loads on U.S. roads between 2011 and 2014. These accidents resulted in 39,000 injuries and over 500 deaths. Unsecured loads can lead to two major issues. One involves dangerous road debris that can become a deadly projectile or obstacle on the road. At high speeds, even a small object can become deadly if it flies through a car window. The other issues involves shifting contents in a truck’s tractor trailer that can lead to instability of the vehicle, truck rollover accidents, and loss of control of the truck.
If you have been hurt in a truck accident due to a lost load, you may have many questions and may be facing a range of new challenges including hospital bills and missed time from work. Our attorneys can review your case, and may be able to help you make a claim to cover your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. USAttorneys.com can connect you with a lawyer at the Cooper Law Firm that may be able to assist you with your truck crash claim.
Laws for Securing Loads
The manner in which cargo must be secured will depend on the type of truck transporting the cargo and the type of cargo being transported. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the system a truck company must use must be appropriate to the cargo, the shape of the cargo, and properly fit the characteristics of the materials being transported. For example, the areas of the vehicle transporting cargo should be inspected regularly for damage. The Cooper Law Firm is a truck accident attorney in Texas that can review a company’s maintenance records and safety record to determine whether the company was in compliance with maintenance laws and loading requirements. Drivers and shippers should also be properly trained to load vehicles safely. Lack of proper training can lead to accidents involving improperly loaded trucks.
Truck companies can use a range of materials to secure loads, including webbing, chain, rope, clamps, shackles, bracings, and other structures. If loads break free of the securement system, an engineer or other expert may need to evaluate the system to determine what went wrong. Following an accident involving an unsecured load, a lawyer may need to evaluate whether the trucking company, the driver securing the load, the shipper, or the company that manufactures the webbing, shackles, bracings, or clamps might be responsible.
Injuries following a truck accident can be very serious and can impact all aspects of your life. If you or a loved one were hurt due to a truck’s unsecured load, contact the Cooper Law Firm today. Our truck crash lawyers in Texas can review your case and may be able to fight to help you get the settlement you may deserve under the law.
Injuries Due to Road Debris in Texas
Injuries individuals sustain due to road debris can be very serious. While road debris accidents can happen on any road, individuals are most at risk of suffering injuries from road debris at the higher speeds drivers can experience on the highway. Road debris can damage tires, damage windows, and damage the undercarriage of a vehicle. Flying debris can enter a vehicle and become a projectile that can injure or kill individuals in a car. Furthermore, sometimes when a passenger vehicle driver sees road debris on the road, the driver may swerve to avoid hitting these hazards, which can result in multiple-car pile ups and accidents involving multiple vehicles.
When an accident occurs due to road debris, who is liable? At the end of the day, the truck company carrying cargo is responsible for the cargo it carries. If cargo goes free and becomes a hazard, the truck company could be held liable for any injuries caused by unsecured debris or unsecured cargo.
If you or a loved one were injured due to road debris, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm, a truck accident attorney in Texas. Our firm can evaluate your case, and help you understand the next steps you may need to take. However, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law. Contact the Cooper Law Firm to learn more and to make a claim within the legal timeframe.
