How Trucking Safety Regulations May Affect Your Case in North Carolina

Trucking is a major industry in the United States, transporting goods nationwide quickly. However, large vehicles can cause accidents that result in severe injuries, significant property damage, and even death for those involved. 

Trucking Rules, Regulations, and Requirements

In the trucking industry, numerous rules and regulations exist to ensure safety and minimize accident damage while on the road. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is a government agency that maintains these requirements and keeps truckers accountable for following them.

Some of the most prevalent specifications cover the following areas:

• Hiring drivers: Not everyone has the necessary qualifications to become a truck driver. Individuals must undergo hours of intense training and background checks to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. They must also receive proper licensing (Commercial Class A, B, or C) and endorsements for certain hauling jobs.
• Inspecting and maintaining vehicles: Routine, systematic inspection is mandatory, according to the FMCSA. Inspections can help catch any mechanical issues during the early stages, and proper maintenance can solve them before they escalate.
• Resting and service hours: Spending long hours behind the wheel can quickly lead to fatigue and poor driving. In North Carolina, truckers have a strict 12-hour driving time limit after eight consecutive off-duty hours. It is also illegal to drive over 70 hours in a seven-day timespan.
• Transporting hazardous materials: Only drivers with specific qualifications can transport dangerous materials with a big rig. Truckers must also use a particular type of vehicle, depending on the cargo.    

Why Trucking Accidents Are Often More Serious

Trucks are the biggest vehicles on the road, making them also one of the most dangerous. A trucking accident may occur for the same reasons car accidents do (distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence, etc.), but the consequences can be much worse. Unlike smaller vehicles, big rig operators have to think about these factors:

• Longer stopping distances
• Shifting loads, sometimes hazardous cargo
• Oversized loads
• Air brake failure
• Less maneuverability
• Less space on the road
• Loaded trucks weigh 80,000 lbs. 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations take all of these dangers into account and provide specific guidelines for drivers.  If you wonder how trucking safety regulations may affect your case in North Carolina, it’s essential to consider the above factors and then identify all federal safety regulations that may have been violated by the truck driver or trucking company. Failure to abide by all the FMCSA’s requirements often results in serious mechanical malfunctions, dangerous or fatigued driving, and major vehicle accidents. Drivers themselves could be at fault, but so might the trucking company. 

What Compensation Can You Expect After a Truck Accident?

Have you or a loved one recently suffered severe injuries in a truck-related accident? You might be eligible for compensation and have a compelling case if the trucker or trucking business failed to observe all FMCSA safety regulations. By contacting an experienced North Carolina attorney, you can understand your legal options and the best way to proceed.  An experienced truck accident lawyer can also help you identify all state and federal laws that governed the truck driver and trucking company, and all violations which support your case for maximum victim compensation.

Truck accident claims are often more challenging to navigate than typical vehicle accidents. A good lawyer will sift through the details and help you build your case. Many accident victims recover compensation for the following:

• Past and future medical and surgical expenses
• Property repairs and replacement
• Lost wages and lost future earning capacity
• Loss of quality of life
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Psychological injuries
• Pain and suffering

Discuss Your Case With a Personal Injury Attorney

Carl Nagle worked as an insurance adjuster for years, including working on the insurance side of truck accident cases.  After law school, Carl worked as an insurance defense lawyer.  Several of his insurance clients carried truck liability coverage.  Thus, Carl has direct experience defending truck drivers and trucking companies in Atlanta courts.

Carl now works only for accident victims in North Carolina.  He uses his insurance industry experience to help every client secure the maximum value of their personal injury claims.  Nagle & Associates also offers a reduced legal fee of 25% of the settlement and 33% for cases that are litigated or tried.  Most firms charge 33% of settlement and 40-44% in litigation.  You pay nothing upfront to retain us, we can meet with you at your home to get the case started, and we are paid no legal fees unless AND until we reach a settlement that you accept.  

Trucking accidents can be scary and overwhelming, leaving you with many questions and concerns. If you’re wondering how trucking safety regulations may affect your case in North Carolina, contact our North Carolina personal injury attorneys.

At Nagle & Associates, P.A., we can help answer your questions, offer legal guidance, and pursue appropriate compensation for your injuries. Carl Nagle and his team seek to be THE authority on North Carolina auto accident and insurance law.  We know how to respond following a catastrophic collision, we know how to approach insurance carriers and command their respect, and we know how to collect the highest payment in every case.