Running for 52 miles from U.S Route 15 in Trout Run Pennsylvania straight to the New York and Pennsylvania border, Pennsylvania Route 14 is a heavily traveled road used by motorists including truckers. Notably, this road has many major intersections in Lycoming county, Tioga County, and Bradford County.
If you have suffered severe injuries, incurred medical expenses, or lost a loved one as a result of an accident involving a tractor-trailer or commercial vehicle. The lawyers of Reiff Law Firm’s The Truck Accident Team may be able to fight for you.
Reasons for Truck Accidents
Truck drivers in driving through the state take advantage of the nearly 120,000 miles of roadways and highways that cut across the state. However, sharing the road with a massive vehicle is not always safe. A report issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation noted that in 2015, there were 127,127 reportable traffic crashes in Pennsylvania. Accidents on Pennsylvania roads resulted in over 80,000 people suffering injuries and over 1,000 people losing their lives. Among the most common reasons for truck accidents according to this report include:
Speeding – Every truck accident involves three elements, the roadway, the vehicle, and the driver. Amongst these conditions the one that can be controlled the most is the driver. Speeding is one of the most dangerous activities that a driver behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer can do. In fact, speeding was cited as a contributing factor in nearly 35,000 crashes in Pennsylvania and lead to 467 fatal crashes in 2015.
Road conditions – When the weather is less than ideal, a driver needs to pay close attention to the road and monitor their driving in light of the conditions. Weather conditions that are frequently cited as affecting road conditions include rain, snow, fog, and even smoke. When the road conditions are less than ideal a truck driver needs to compensate, however, they often fail to accommodate for their driving because of tight deadlines, which leads to numerous accidents.
Alcohol – Over the past five years there have been numerous deaths on Pennsylvania roads due to one or more driver consuming alcohol. In fact, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, in addition to speeding, alcohol is one of the biggest contributors to fatal crashes in Pennsylvania. When a driver behind the wheel of a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds more than a car or even small pickup truck chooses to drink and drive they are putting their life as well as your life in danger.
By some accounts driver error accounts for nearly 85 to 90 percent of all truck accidents. This factor may include driver errors that are solely responsible or driver errors that contribute to an accident. However, in addition to speeding, poor road conditions, and alcohol consumption, truck accidents can also be attributed to careless driving, distracted driving, and even tailgating.
Common Injuries from Truck Accidents
Truck accidents involve a lot of force, metal, and anguish. Not only can trucks cause a monumental amount of property damage, but they can also cause a significant amount of damage to our bodies. In a truck accident, a victim has a high probability of sustaining a serious or even fatal injury. Some of the more common but devastating injuries from truck accidents tend to be:
Head and Brain injuries – Any impact to the head can have devastating consequences. When a person is subjected to the sheer amount of force of a truck accident they may experience trauma to the brain. These injuries can have a long-lasting effect on a person and can range from mild, moderate, to severe and even fatal traumatic brain injuries, requiring expensive and lengthy medical procedures and recovery times.
Broken bones – along with the excessive force that the head may sustain during a truck accident, which can cause devastating consequences. The sheer amount of force behind a truck accident can cause bones to break or shatter.
Internal Bleeding – Some of the most dangerous injuries are the ones that you cannot see. Similar to injuries to the brain, it may not be immediately certain the extent or amount of damage a person has suffered from a truck accident. However, when a driver is involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer it is not uncommon for them to sustain internal injuries and bleeding to their bladder, spleen, liver, lungs, pancreas, or kidneys.
What can I Receive Compensation for?
Truck accidents can be some of the most devastating accidents not only because of the amount of property damage they can cause but because of a number of personal injuries they can cause. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that the average economic loss due to traffic accidents across the state cost each man, woman, and child $1,103. Therefore it is evident that when you have been in an accident with a truck or other large vehicle your expenses and bills will be substantial. Fortunately, if you have been injured in an accident due to a truck driver’s negligence you may be entitled to any of the following forms of compensation.
Semi truck accident cases may include compensation for:
- Vehicle repairs or replacement
- Alternate transportation while your vehicle is un-drivable
- Medical expenses already incurred
- Future medical expenses for treatments and rehabilitative therapies you will need for full recovery
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
With the high cost of medical bills and other associated expenses, when you have been in an accident, you need to turn to a team of experienced attorneys who have experience fighting the big truck companies.
Contact a Pennsylvania Route 14 Truck Accident Attorney Today
To schedule a private, no-cost evaluation, call the law offices of Reiff Law Firm’s The Truck Accident Team at (215) 709-6940 or contact us online.
