At Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C., we are the personal injury law firm that provides the personal service and results that you deserve in Kentucky, West Virginia and many other states. For more than 30 years, we have been serving clients who have suffered injuries as the result of another's negligence.

We are personal injury lawyers who are dedicated to representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others. Our personal injury attorneys provide tough and aggressive representation aimed at moving your case forward and obtaining full compensation for your injuries.

Each year, more than 500,000 tractor-trailers or "semis" are involved in traffic accidents in the United States. Approximately 5,000 of these accidents involve semi trailer trucks and result in fatalities. In fact, one of every eight traffic fatalities is caused by a collision with a large truck. Most deaths that occur in these accidents are the passengers of the automobiles. Drivers of trucks typically remain uninjured.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored a study that concluded approximately twice as many car drivers would die in collisions with light trucks than in similar collisions involving cars of the same weight as the light truck. For the same reasons, occupants of passenger cars and light trucks have much higher fatality rates than occupants of large trucks and buses.

Trucking litigation involves claims against negligent truck drivers as well as the companies who hire them. Legally, a driver of a large truck is considered to have an even greater standard of care than other drivers because of the injuries that their large trucks can cause.

Examples of truck negligence generally fall into two categories: driver error and vehicle maintenance failure. The most common cause of driver error is fatigue, which can cause clouded judgment, drowsiness, and falling asleep at the wheel. Driver error can also be due to inexperience, improper driver training and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether prescription or illegal). Deregulation of the trucking industry has resulted in an increase in speed-limit violations among tractor-trailer drivers as well.

Truck accident lawsuits tend to be far more complex than other vehicle accidents for several reasons, so it is best to consult with an attorney at Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C. immediately who will look out for your best interests. The difficulty of these cases is largely due to the following factors:

• Trucking companies and insurance adjusters realize the potential for major lawsuits when a truck accident is involved, so immediately following an accident, they quickly gather evidence and experts so that they can start preparing their case.
  
• Determining who the defendant is can be extremely difficult and complex, as a result of the following possible reasons for an accident:
  
  • Driver Fatigue - this would likely be the driver's fault.
  • Overloaded Freight - this would likely cause the company the driver works for to be involved in the lawsuit.
  • Excessive Speed - this could cause the driver and the company to be listed as co-defendants, if strict and unreasonable deadlines were set on the driver. 
  • Equipment Malfunction - this could cause the manufacturers to be defendants. 
  • Defective Tires - this could also cause a tire manufacturer or distributor to be named as a defendant.
  • Failure to Follow State and Federal Regulations - this would normally name the company and driver to be co-defendants.

If you or a loved one is involved in a truck accident, please contact the law offices of Gary C. Johnson, P.S.C., for assistance and advice. Our firm works for injured people and their families. The law firm you choose does make a difference. We offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case, and we will always give you our honest opinion about your case in light of the facts, case law, and our experience with similar truck accident cases. Call us today at (800) 337-4002, or use our online contact form.