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Some of the most tragic accidents on the road, whether outside Milwaukee or en route to Eau Claire, occur in crashes involving commercial trucks, also known as semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and big rigs. A truck accident can be a very traumatic and life-changing experience. The sheer size and weight of these semis make any collision extremely dangerous and much more deadly compared to a car accident. Unfortunately, thousands of people are seriously injured or killed in trucking accidents each year.
According to data from the National Safety Council, in 2018, 112,000 large trucks were involved in crashes in the US, resulting in 4,951 deaths and 150,000 injuries. Of those large-truck crashes, 4,066 of those killed and 74 percent of those injured were either occupants in passenger vehicles or not riding in a vehicle at all – pedestrians hit or bicyclists. Since 2009, the number of deaths from large truck accidents has increased 51 percent.
If you've been injured in a truck accident, contact our truck accident team at Gruber Law Offices to get a free consultation. We are available 24/7 and you can contact us by phone, live chat, or website form. Our consultations are always free and confidential.
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Recent Truck Cases. Real Results.
Our truck accident team gets results. View recent settlements that we won for our clients in Wisconsin.
- $10.24 Million Truck Crash August 2021
- $3.25 Million Truck Crash May 2019
- $4.86 Million Truck Crash April 2018
- $2.5 Million Truck Crash June 2022
At Gruber Law Offices, we have a team that is dedicated to quality representation and great results in truck accident cases. We know what it takes to win for our clients. Our truck accident team consists of lawyers, paralegals, in-house investigators, and support staff. The team is committed to helping their clients recover the compensation they deserve after a truck accident. Our truck accident attorneys are professionals with over 20 years experience and are Board Certified. We have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients, and we are confident that we can get you the compensation you deserve.
We pride ourselves in always going the extra mile to be the best at what we do. This dedication to our clients is demonstrated by our attorney who successfully achieved Board Certification in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). No other attorney in Wisconsin is board certified in Truck Accident Law. The accreditation is the only American Bar Association accreditation for Truck Accident Law in the United States.
There are many causes of action that we investigate in a serious truck crash. Given that there are so many factors and different issues at play, it is extremely important that you call us right away. The faster our team is able to get involved, the better we are able to secure evidence and begin our own investigation. Our in-house investigators have decades of law enforcement. Our law firm has relationships We have access to some of the top experts in their field to help on cases such as Biomechanical Engineers and Accident Reconstructionists. Our in-house investigators have decades of experience being in law enforcement.
The experienced and aggressive truck accident lawyers of the Gruber Law Offices, LLC can help you get the compensation you deserve if you’ve been injured in a crash involving a commercial truck. Contact us now for a free case evaluation. One Call…That’s All!
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Telematics generally refers to a technological system that collects particular data or information. It is becoming more and more common and applicable in the trucking industry. Specifically, telematics are most often used by larger and more sophisticated truck companies and motor carriers, when trucking or logistics companies employ multiple truck drivers. Telematics can track data such as: speed, location, GPA data, harsh braking events, harsh turns (cornering), and phone usage/distracted driving, among other things. Telematics can also track vehicle diagnostic information like engine health, tire pressure, oil temperature, and other vehicle system information. Frequently, trucking company use telematics to track important information about their fleets and their drivers. If used properly, this can be useful information and provide valuable data to the trucking company. It can help analyze driver safety and actions. It can also potentially help keep the motoring public safer.
This data can truly help us in “proving our case.” Often, telematics data can be used as very important evidence in a truck accident. The insurance companies and trucking companies also look at this data in evaluating liability. Importantly, this data is generally very accurate and highly relevant. It can also show long-term trends in how a company managers unsafe driving history, both of the day of the crash as well as historically. Telematics can also work in tandem with drivers logs to analyze potential Hours of Service violations, maintenance issues and many other important factors. In certain circumstances, it can help prove the trucking company knew or should have that a specific driver or vehicle was unsafe and then failed to take the reasonable precautions to address it.
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Accident statistics for Wisconsin from 2019 show 8,134 large truck accidents, a small percentage of all highway crashes but an average of more than 22 every day of the year here in Wisconsin. Of those truck accidents, 72 people died and 1,986 were injured. If your accident was caused by drunk driving, contact our Wisconsin drunk driving accident lawyers.”
THE CAUSES CITED IN WISCONSIN TRUCK CRASHES, IN ORDER OF FREQUENCY, WERE:
- Inattentive driving Failure to control Failure to yield right of way Speed too fast for conditions Improper turn Following too closely
- Improper overtake (passing) Disregarded traffic control Driver condition Driving left of center Exceeded speed limit Unsafe backing
Additional Truck Accident Causes
Some of the causes cited for Wisconsin truck accidents are typical driver errors, such as losing control of the vehicle, crossing the centerline or exceeding a safe speed for conditions. When these commonplace errors occur in a truck accident, they can result in rollovers or other dangerous situations. Other causes of truck accidents, however, aren't due to common driver error and instead indicate reckless behavior, such as:
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Distracted Driving
A widespread problem on our roads, a glut of distracted driving has resulted in regulations adopted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that prohibit commercial truck drivers from using cell phone and similar devices while behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer. While truckers know the danger created by distracted driving, yet it remains a leading cause of truck accidents.
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Aggressive Driving
Such behavior as failing to yield right of way, improper turning, following too closely (tailgating), improper passing, improper backing, running red lights and stop signs, and speeding are recklessness. In Wisconsin, the DOT recognizes operating a vehicle in a way that endangers or is likely to endanger people or property as aggressive driving.
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Driver Condition
In the trucking industry, time is money. Truck drivers typically are required to work long hours, which can cause sleep deprivation and fatigued / drowsy driving if a driver stays behind the wheel. Despite FMCSA regulations governing how long a trucker may drive without rest, called Hours of Service regulations, surveys by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that truckers violate regulations and “often” or “sometimes” omit hours behind the wheel from logbooks. Sometimes, pressure from supervisors keeps a trucker on the road too long.
Fortunately, “driver condition” rarely means operating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in a truck accident. Though drugged and drunk driving do occur and lead to accidents, random testing of truckers has drastically reduced the amount of impaired truck driving.
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Other Reasons
In addition to these reasons, Wisconsin DOT statistics also show hundreds of truck accidents caused by the failure of a truck part or system, whether that failure happened in the tires, brakes, steering systems, lighting, suspension systems or others. In such cases, it may be that the trucking company (carrier) or the manufacturer could be held liable for the accident and the losses innocent people suffer as a result.
Sometimes it is shifting cargo or a cargo spill can cause a truck driver to lose control and crash their vehicle. If a truck was improperly loaded and that led to a crash, the focus of a truck accident claim could shift to the carrier and its training and/or supervision of workers responsible for loading trucks. If your accident was caused by cargo shifting, contact our loading accidents lawyers today.
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Gruber Law Offices knew exactly what to do in every scenario and made sure I knew what was going on. They made it a lot easier, there is no way I could have handled it on my own.
Truck accidents tend to be catastrophic and complex events. Negligence on the part of the driver, the carrier, one or more manufacturers or the trucking company’s policies and procedures, or multiple parties may have led to the accident. In addition, truckers’ and carriers’ behavior, as well as the tractor-trailers and their cargo are regulated by voluminous regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as well as other federal and state agencies. Violations may indicate liability in a crash.
In addition to the complexity of a truck accident, there is a lot of money at stake when a large commercial truck crashes and people are hurt or killed. In many cases, this causes the trucking company to spring into action to limit the financial damage. If you have been injured in truck accident, you may hear from lawyers representing the carrier or its insurance company very soon afterward. You may be offered a quick settlement that seems like a great deal of money after a truck accident.
But you should not accept a check or sign anything after a significant truck accident without first speaking to an experienced truck accident attorney. You could be giving up compensation you deserve. Sorting out what happened in a commercial truck accident and who is at fault is often a complicated matter, for the reasons we have outlined above. At the same time, it takes time in many cases to understand the full extent of the crash victim’s injuries and other losses.
A thorough investigation is necessary to determine what happened and why in most truck accidents.
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Among the information to be reviewed after a commercial truck accident is:
- Evidence collected at the crash scene
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Information about the condition of the truck and other vehicle(s) in the wreck.
- Data from the truck’s and potentially the car’s “black box” event data recorder.
- The trucker’s activity logs, which by law must show his or her time behind the wheel and at rest
- Other trucking company records, such as truck use and maintenance records, cargo reports, statements from company employees, policy and procedure manuals, etc.
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In some cases, a lawsuit is required to force the trucking company to provide specific information that could be helpful for your truck accident case. Sometimes accident reconstruction specialists are called in to conduct a forensic analysis and interpretation of data collected after a crash.
To ensure that all of the appropriate and necessary work is completed in your truck accident case, you should consult an experienced Milwaukee truck accident attorney.
Most laymen simply aren’t trained to understand the ins and outs of truck accidents like a Milwaukee truck accident lawyer who has handled many truck accident cases in Wisconsin is. At Gruber Law Offices, one call does it all. We work diligently to develop solid cases against any party that should be held liable in a truck accident, and then move aggressively to maximize the compensation that our clients recover.
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Trucks transport goods from state to state and are a necessary part of the nation’s economy. However, accidents involving a tractor trailer truck can be devastating. The types of trucking accidents that occur on Milwaukee’s roads and highways include:
- Wide Turn Accidents – If a truck driver first turns to the left before making a right turn, it causes the truck to make a “wide turn.” This type of accident can cause damage to vehicles traveling behind the truck, or in the lane on the right side of the truck. Wide turn accidents often occur when a large truck attempts to navigate narrow city streets that are not designed to accommodate the tractor-trailer’s size.
- Rollover Accidents – Rollover accidents occur when a truck driver fails to operate a vehicle safely. When a truck driver is speeding and hits a guardrail, curb or uneven ground, it may cause the truck to roll over. Driving too fast for road conditions is a common factor in rollover truck accidents. If a tractor-trailer or cargo tanker is not loaded properly, or imbalanced, the cargo can shift when rounding a curve, causing the truck to turn over.
- Rear-End Accidents – Large trucks are much heavier than passenger vehicles. Because of their weight, 18 wheelers require more distance to stop safely. If a truck is speeding and has to make a sudden stop, often it cannot do so and will collide with the vehicle in front of the truck. Rear end accidents often involve fatigued or distracted drivers who are not alert to changes in traffic conditions.
- Jackknife Accidents – A jackknife accident occurs when a tractor-trailer brakes too hard, causing the trailer to skid forward and form a 90-degree angle with the tractor, similar to a folding pocketknife.
- Under Ride Accidents –Due to the difference in size between a tractor-trailer and a car, a car can become lodged underneath a truck trailer, causing severe injuries to the automobile occupants. Under ride accidents may occur in rear end or side impact collisions, if the truck does not have under ride guards or the guards fail. If the truck’s cargo is not properly loaded and secured on the trailer, it can fall onto the road as the truck is moving, creating a highway hazard to other vehicles. This type of accident can be very serious if a truck loses its load while moving at a high speed on an interstate.
Weather contributes to a higher number of motor vehicle accidents in Wisconsin and other areas of the country that experience winter driving conditions. Commercial trucks have schedules to maintain and delivery deadlines to meet. Sleet and snow and poor weather conditions do not keep trucks off the road in Wisconsin. If a truck driver fails to drive at a safe speed for the road and weather conditions, the trucker may lose control of the vehicle on slick roads. Truck drivers who have a commercial driver’s license are legally required to exercise high levels of caution in cold weather conditions. Their failure to do so may be evidence of negligence in the event of a personal injury accident.
If you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer, here is what you should do: Check to see if you are injured, or if any of the occupants of your vehicle were injured. Next, you should call 911 and request an ambulance if needed. While you wait for the police and the ambulance, it is safest to remain in your vehicle. However, if you are able, and it is safe to do so, you can check to see if the occupants of the other vehicle need assistance. It is very important that you do not move your vehicle until emergency personnel arrive on the scene. If you are able, take photographs of the truck accident scene and damage to both vehicles. Exchange insurance and registration information with the other drivers involved. But do not discuss how the accident occurred with the other driver. Give your statement to the investigating police officer. Report the accident to your insurance company within a day after the accident. Obtain a copy of the police report to make sure that all the information you provided to the police is correct. Contact a truck accident lawyer in Milwaukee so that you can understand what rights you have moving forward.
Commercial truck owners are required to carry higher amounts of liability insurance than the average car owner is required to purchase. For example, in most states, commercial truck companies are required to insure their trucks for a minimum of $1 million. That means the stakes are higher, and insurers will move aggressively to limit their liability. Multiple parties may share liability in a truck accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, a cargo shipper and the company that loaded the trailer. Each may have separate insurance coverage. The insurance companies will try to minimize the amount of any settlement and may dispute liability or try to shift the liability to others involved. This can make a commercial truck accident much more complicated to resolve than a regular automobile accident.
Yes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigued and overworked drivers are a common cause of commercial trucking accidents. Truck drivers may disregard the rules requiring them to take rest brakes, and drive while dangerously fatigued. Drowsy drivers are dangerous drivers and may fail to react in time to avoid causing an accident. Truck drivers who violate hours of service limits may be held liable for the accidents they cause.
If you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer, here is what you should do: Check to see if you are injured, or if any of the occupants of your vehicle were injured. Next, you should call 911 and request an ambulance if needed. While you wait for the police and the ambulance, it is safest to remain in your vehicle. However, if you are able, and it is safe to do so, you can check to see if the occupants of the other vehicle need assistance. It is very important that you do not move your vehicle until emergency personnel arrive on the scene. If you are able, take photographs of the truck accident scene and damage to both vehicles. Exchange insurance and registration information with the other drivers involved. But do not discuss how the accident occurred with the other driver. Give your statement to the investigating police officer. Report the accident to your insurance company within a day after the accident. Obtain a copy of the police report to make sure that all the information you provided to the police is correct. Contact a truck accident lawyer in Milwaukee so that you can understand what rights you have moving forward.
Personal injury lawsuits arise out of semi accidents when there is one or more persons injured as a result of the negligence of the truck driver and trucking company. People injured in truck accidents caused by others may sue for damages such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.
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If you or a family member has been injured in a truck accident in Wisconsin, call the personal injury lawyers at Gruber Law Offices, LLC today. We can help you obtain compensation you need for dealing with losses due to such injuries as fractures, paralysis, loss of limb, burns, brain injuries, wrongful death, and more. Our experienced and aggressive truck accident lawyers conduct thorough investigations and negotiate aggressively for settlements based on solid evidence. We don’t charge a legal fee unless we win.
We can meet you at a place that is convenient for you, such as your home, hospital room, place of work, or our conveniently located downtown Milwaukee office. Speak with one of our attorneys right now by calling (414) 276-6666 for a free consultation.
“ONE CALL … THAT’S ALL!”