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Pittsburgh Truck Accident Lawyers With 40 Years Of Helping Victims

Commercial vehicle accidents are complex and often complex. Accidents with a semi-truck usually involve multiple parties. We’ve helped victims navigate these issues throughout Pennsylvania. These incidents cause medical and legal difficulties for everyone involved — drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians. Especially when you are seriously injured, you face immediate problems that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

In these circumstances, it is important to engage knowledgeable legal help as soon as possible to investigate exactly what caused the incident or crash, everything that happened, and who was at fault.

Trucking Accidents Bring Major Issues

Truck accidents mean not only the driver is involved but also potentially the company that employs them and their insurance. These accidents can also lead to major injuries for those in the other vehicle. Under Pennsylvania law, the driver who was at fault for injuring you is responsible for paying compensation for:

  • Pain, suffering and inconvenience
  • Loss of life’s pleasures
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Your distress and any interference with your family relationships
  • A loss of wages and your future earning ability because of the injury
  • Any other costs that were a direct result of your injury

At John A. Caputo & Associates, P.C., in Pittsburgh, our truck accident lawyers have decades of experience in these cases and will examine the situation thoroughly to determine the most effective approach for your particular case. See some verdicts and settlements we have obtained for injured clients.

Pennsylvania Crash Statistics Around Trucking Accidents

In 2022, Pennsylvania had the dubious distinction of being among the top five most hazardous states for truck crashes, with 7,646 wrecks – 158 of which included fatalities. That may largely be a reflection of how important a corridor the state’s highways are for the shipping industry between the East and West Coasts.

Other statistics about fatalities and injuries in truck accidents also create a disturbing picture. Consider these:

  • There are approximately 168,000 truck accidents in the United States every year
  • Roughly 32% of those accidents involve injuries to the trucker or the occupants of other vehicles involved in the wreck
  • Roughly 3% of those wrecks involve a fatality
  • Roughly 71% of those injured are the occupants of other vehicles, and 27% of injury victims are truckers (the remainder are pedestrians and bicyclists).
  • Intoxication plays a role in 2.4% of fatal accidents involving trucks

That’s distressing news, especially if you happen to be on the roads in the Keystone State. Even though there are federal “hours of service” mandates that trucking companies and drivers are expected to follow, not everybody adheres to the rules. Nobody knows exactly how often truck drivers break the law regarding driving hours because they do not always get caught – but there are indications that the problem is on the rise since new flexibility was added to the old regulations.

Here’s another statistic that may be important to understand: trucking companies know that a successful accident claim is going to be expensive. In 2019, settlements and verdicts on claims where the plaintiff asked for less than $1 million averaged between $406,000 and $449,000, while the mean damages paid on larger claims was $3.1 million. That means you can expect a trucking company and its insurers to aggressively fight your claim, even when their liability is obvious.

An experienced truck accident lawyer can protect your interests, keep you from being pressured into taking less than you are rightfully due and help you obtain fair compensation even when the insurer is being unreasonable.

Truck Crashes In Pennsylvania

The weight and force of a truck, especially when moving at high speed, create a tremendous impact in a collision with a smaller vehicle. Severe vehicle damage and serious personal injuries, even fatalities, are almost inevitable. These events often lead to high monetary judgments against trucking companies. Trucking companies often rely on a team of lawyers they keep on retainer to fight these cases. When you are injured in a crash involving a truck, you need a truck accident lawyer who will stand up just as forcefully for your interests.

Talk To An Experienced Truck Accident Attorney About Your Claim

We are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and appropriate compensation for the victims of serious and catastrophic personal injuries. If you have been injured in a car or truck crash, contact us online or by telephone at 412-620-6361 for a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your situation. When your case is accepted, you owe nothing out of pocket unless we recover compensation for you.