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October 2013
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Associate Photo
Board Certified In Personal Injury
28 Years Experience
(903) 531-9300
Dear Earl ,

From food to fuel, trucks move most of the freight in America. After dropping steadily since the mid-1990s, the rate of truck accidents and fatalities is creeping up. Here is an overview of the issue and tips on how to avoid tangling with big trucks.

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28 Years Experience Trying Personal Injury Cases Counts
After 28 years of handling personal injury cases we've learned that sometimes you have to "just say no" to the insurance company and saddle up and go try the case in front of a jury. We did just that in June of this year in a car wreck case involving some pretty serious injuries. The Defendants' auto liability insurance company made a lowball offer and dug in. We said "NO" and headed to the court house. I guess being hard headed has its advantages because a Smith County jury awarded us more than seven times what the insurance company had offered. It was a good day for the good guy. Continue reading.

Truck Accidents

Truck Accidents on the Rise

After reaching an historic low in 2009, deaths and injuries from truck accidents are on the rise. Why the turn for the worse? According to a startling report from the American Association for Justice, lax practices are forcing a growing number of unsafe trucks on the road, which are often driven by overworked, underpaid and poorly trained drivers. Meanwhile, outdated insurance laws fail to provide adequate coverage for those involved in a car-truck accident. Since trucks move nearly 70 percent of our nation’s freight, you should know the facts and what is being done to better protect all Americans. Dozing Driver Kills 10 People  >>>

BY THE NUMBERS /

3,757
Killed

In 2011, 3,757 people died in collisions with trucks, an 11.2 percent increase over 2009. There were 88,000 injuries reported during the same period.

Source: Commercial Motor Vehicle Facts, March 2013, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (download)

Only
$750,000
 
Motor carriers are only required to maintain $750,000 in insurance per crash. Yet, damages from a fatal crash can exceed $4 million, leaving injured motorists and taxpayers to pay the difference.

Source: Study Shows Trucking Companies Underinsured, Trucking Alliance
98
Percent
Ninety-eight percent of vehicle occupants killed in crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck in 2011 were occupants of the passenger vehicles.

Source: Large Trucks Fatality Facts, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
BOOKMARK FAVORITES /

Insurance Institute Tracks Truck Accidents

Noting that one in 10 highway deaths occur in a crash involving a large truck, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety compiles extensive information on truck accidents. Check here for the latest statistics, status reports and other resources.

Coalition Dedicated to Improving Car-Truck Safety

The Truck Safety Coalition is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by truck-related crashes, providing support to truck crash survivors and their families, and educating the public, policy makers and the news media about truck safety issues.

What Is Your Road Safe IQ?

Road Safe America, which believes a truck driver has as much responsibility as a commercial airline pilot, is dedicated to making our highways car-truck safe. Take Road Safe’s informative quiz and test your road safe IQ.

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You Can Help Make Our Roads Safer

Ask your legislator to support a bill that will hold trucking companies more accountable for the damage caused in serious truck-car crashes.

Act now

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Bill Protects Crash Victims

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright says he introduced the Safe Haul Act as a “matter of public safety.”

Listen now

 
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