Speeding Truck Accidents

Schaumburg and Wheaton Lawyers for Tractor-Trailer Collision Victims

 

Truck accidents caused by speeding can have seriously devastating consequences for everyone involved. Speeding is a careless, even reckless decision on the part of a truck driver. Due to the size and weight of a truck, speeding accidents can result in disastrous injuries and death. If you have been hurt in a collision involving a speeding 18-wheeler, the experienced Schaumburg and Wheaton truck accident attorneys at Therman Law Offices can help you protect your rights. Time is of the essence in these cases, so it is wise to act and obtain legal counsel as quickly as possible after a truck accident has taken place if you wish to pursue damages.

 

Speeding Truck Accidents

 

Speeding plays a role in many truck accidents every year. According to 2017 data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, speeding was a factor in 17 percent of truck crashes with at least one large truck occupant fatality. Truck drivers may speed for a variety of reasons – they are late for an important delivery or they simply want to get home after a long day of work. Irrespective of the reasoning, speeding trucks put everyone on the road at risk of harm. Due to their size and load (which can weigh tens of thousands of pounds), trucks already have a harder time maneuvering and coming to a complete stop when compared to the average passenger vehicle. This fact, coupled with a truck driver’s decision to speed can significantly increase the risk of accident and endanger everyone around the vehicle.

 

Liability for Speeding Truck Accidents

 

If you were struck by a speeding truck driver, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, property damage and lost wages through a negligence claim, and a knowledgeable injury lawyer can assist you. Negligence is a common law action that is specifically recognized by Illinois courts. The legal concept describes a situation in which someone owes a duty of care to another person and fails in that duty, thus causing an accident or injury to another. The duty of care refers to the obligation of every truck driver to operate his or her vehicle in the way that a reasonably prudent truck driver would in the same or a similar situation. To win a negligence claim, the accident victim must prove the following elements:

 

  • The truck driver owed the victim a duty of care;
  • The truck driver breached the duty of care by speeding;
  • The truck driver’s breach was a direct cause of the accident; and
  • The victim suffered bodily injury and/or property damage as a result.
Establishing negligence can be complicated, but we will work to interview witnesses and collect all information that may be relevant to your accident so that we can utilize all pertinent facts in your case.
 
Suing the Trucking Company
 
In addition to suing the truck driver, you may also be able to sue the trucking company that employs the truck driver if an employment relationship exists. Truck companies can be liable for an accident caused by a truck driver’s negligence when the company engages in unsafe driving practices such as keeping a malfunctioning or dangerous truck in service, failing to complete inspections, or hiring an inexperienced or unlicensed truck driver. In addition, trucking companies can be held accountable for a speeding truck accident when they fail to supervise a truck driver with a tendency to speed and/or create a company policy that would incentivize speeding (i.e., providing a bonus for truck driver to deliver their cargo ahead of schedule).
 
Skilled Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Wheaton and Schaumburg
 
If you believe that a speeding truck driver was the cause of your accident and resulting injuries, you may be entitled to compensation. At Therman Law Offices, our seasoned Wheaton and Schaumburg lawyers will analyze the facts of your case and help you navigate the legal process in an effective and efficient manner. We proudly serve clients from Roselle, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Bloomingdale, Lombard, Addison, Villa Park, and Elmhurst, among other areas. Talk to one of our attorneys by calling us at 312-588-1900 or contacting us online.

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Wheaton & Schaumburg 847-744-8400

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