Page 15 - Chris Book.docx

Chapter 4: Trucking Accidents
Trucking accidents often result in serious, debilitating and

permanent injuries for the obvious reason a tractor-trailer is much larger
and heavier than passenger vehicles. In fact, a fully loaded tractor trailer
may weigh up to 80,000 pounds (40 tons), absent special permits allowing

higher weights. The average weight of a passenger vehicle is roughly
4,000 pounds. Therefore, in an accident involving a car and a semi-truck,
serious or deadly results often occur. Such a serious accident requires the

expertise of an attorney who has the knowledge, experience, and resources
to properly handle a trucking accident claim.

Trucking litigation is a highly specialized field of practice for
lawyers. Other than the complexities involved with dealing with serious
injury or death, there exists numerous other complications involving

trucking accidents, including: the involvement of federal regulations
governing tractor trailers; the potential for multiple defendants in trucking

cases; the extensive documents and records companies who operate tractor
trailers are required to keep; the need to examine the vehicle’s Electronic
Control Module (the “ECM”), which electronically records data such as

speed and brake system operation at the time of the accident; and the costs
associated with properly making a claim arising from a trucking accident.
Potential Pitfall: If you are involved in a trucking accident, I

recommend that you immediately seek the advice of a lawyer that is
familiar with trucking accidents. An experienced attorney in this field
of law will know the importance of hiring an accident reconstruction

expert and immediately sending a “spoliation letter” to the trucking
company and its insurance carrier requiring them preserve certain

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