Among the nation's top personal injury law firms, Ross Feller Casey has recovered more than $1 billion over the last five years alone for its individual clients, including those seriously injured in commercial trucking and tractor-trailer accidents.
The impressive list of our multimillion-dollar truck and auto case results include:
If you or a loved one was involved in a truck crash, hiring an experienced commercial truck accident law firm to represent you as soon as possible is vital. Delays can lead to the loss of invaluable evidence from the accident scene or vehicles involved in the accident.
Additionally, it allows you to refer the trucking company and their insurance company to an experienced truck accident attorney rather than talking to them yourself.
Ross Feller Casey attorneys are noted experts in the intricacies of traffic laws and commercial trucking regulations and have a team of engineers, accident reconstructionists, and road safety professionals to testify on behalf of our clients.
Each year, more than 4,700 people die due to a crash that involves a tractor-trailer, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Only about 16 percent of those fatalities were the truck drivers themselves. Most of those who died were drivers or passengers of other vehicles. Because of the size difference between semi-trucks and regular cars, the drivers and passengers of other vehicles who collide with a truck are far more vulnerable to suffering property damage, injuries, and deaths than the truck driver.
In 2018, Pennsylvania recorded more than 7,300 accidents involving big-rig and other large trucks – the highest total in five years, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Most of the state’s tractor-trailer accidents occur on state highways (55 percent), followed by interstates that run through Pennsylvania (28 percent), local roads (10 percent), then the Pennsylvania Turnpike system (7 percent).
Significant differences exist between regular car accidents and commercial truck accidents. The biggest is that the injuries sustained in accidents involving a semi-truck are usually significantly more extensive. While a car typically weighs around 4,000 pounds, an 18-wheeler can weigh 20 times that or more than 80,000 pounds. That means that the drivers and passengers involved in accidents with tractor-trailers are very often seriously injured.
Another difference is that commercial truck drivers typically have formalized instruction or training and special driver’s licenses. Suppose a truck driver is found to be responsible for an accident that causes injuries to other drivers or passengers. In that case, their trucking company might be found liable for not providing adequate training. This doesn’t happen in accidents that involve regular passenger vehicles.
There are numerous causes of semi-truck accidents, some of which are the fault of the truck driver. On major highways, driving at higher speeds, even the smallest of driving errors can result in catastrophic truck accident injuries and fatalities when a tractor-trailer is involved.
The most common causes of truck accidents include:
Jackknifing – If a truck jackknifes, the driver doesn’t usually have time to react before it is too late. The likelihood of a truck jackknifing is significantly increased if the front brakes are removed or disabled. Whoever is responsible for disabling the front brakes can be held liable for accidents caused by jackknifing.
Fuel fires – When a truck catches fire, it’s usually because the truck’s diesel fuel came into contact with a spark from the battery. If the battery is located in a place where it shouldn’t be or where it is vulnerable, the party who placed it there can be held liable for damages caused by the fuel fire.
Rollovers – Large trucks rolling over are the major cause of injuries and deaths in trucking accidents. There is a wide range of reasons for rollover accidents, including driver error, driver fatigue, driving too fast, DUI, truck malfunction, and certain highway conditions.
Braking – Accidents caused by commercial trucks are often caused by brake malfunction. There are various reasons that brakes fail or do not work correctly.
Like other personal injury cases, a trucking accident case can potentially go to trial. While many cases do result in a settlement, it’s crucial that the truck accident attorney you hire is prepared to argue the case in a courtroom.
The attorneys at Ross Feller Casey have earned a national reputation for their record results in all personal injury cases, including truck accidents. We are prepared to take every case to trial if needed, while many other truck accident attorneys look to settle claims quickly and never step into a courtroom.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer or bus and sustained injuries, don’t delay in contacting an experienced truck accident attorney at Ross Feller Casey. In a truck accident case, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Our truck accident lawyers have experience working with truck accident victims who have been seriously injured or whose family member has died due to a truck crash in Pennsylvania. We know how insurance companies in the trucking industry operate, and we fight for the compensation that you and your family deserve. Pennsylvania’s top-rated lawyers are here to help with your truck accident lawsuit.
At Ross Feller Casey, we handle tractor-trailer accidents and commercial truck lawsuits on a contingency basis, which means there is no charge to you until a financial recovery is made. Contact the offices of Ross Feller Casey today for your free consultation with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers.