Attorneys for Commercial Vehicle and Trucking Accidents in Auburn, ME

Commercial trucks are essential for the United States economy. They ensure that your local stores’ shelves are stocked and that you get all of the packages you’ve ordered online in a timely manner. 

As vital as they are, however, these vehicles can also be highly dangerous. Their large size and the force they exert make accidents more likely to occur, and when they do, they can result in much more significant losses for those in the vehicles around them. 

If you have suffered injuries in a big rig accident in Maine, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. To have a chance to recover the losses you sustained, you need assistance from commercial truck accident attorneys.

At Gideon Asen, our team of experienced truck accident lawyers can help you fight for your rights. Learn more about what the main causes of these collisions are and why having representation can be so vital. 

Main Causes of Trucking Accidents in Auburn, ME

Commercial truck accidents can occur for a number of reasons. Read about the most frequent causes in Auburn, ME. 

Fatigued Driving

Commercial truck drivers spend hours behind the wheel. There are federal regulations in place that mandate when they need to take breaks and how long they can go before they must take hour-long rests. 

Despite these laws, however, truckers often work for longer than they should. All too often, trucking companies offer incentives to speed up deliveries, which can prompt drivers to skip breaks. That can result in people who are very tired operating a large vehicle. 

An exhausted trucker will have impaired reflexes and can struggle to coordinate. They may not notice if there are changes to traffic patterns, and they could even fall asleep behind the wheel. 

Distracted Driving

An accident with commercial vehicles can also occur because the trucker is not paying full attention to the road. After spending so long driving, truckers can lose focus. They may begin reading billboards or switching radio stations. Even glancing at the GPS can be a distraction. 

A trucker who doesn’t have their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their mind on driving can easily miss seeing what vehicles all around them are doing. They might not spot that cars are slowing or that they’ve come to a stop. They might even race right through stop signs or red lights. 

Speeding

Some of the most catastrophic 18-wheeler accidents that occur in Maine are the result of speeding. Truckers who are late with deliveries might try to make up some of that time by speeding. It can be an incredibly dangerous decision. 

A commercial truck already exerts a significant amount of force. If you add high speeds to that, the results of a crash can be deadly. 

What’s even more worrisome is that trucks traveling at high speeds are more likely to cause accidents. It’s easier for truckers to lose control of the vehicle, leading to jackknife and rollover accidents. 

Road Conditions

Our truck accident attorneys in Auburn have also seen numerous instances of trucks causing accidents because of damaged roads. Issues like potholes and uneven pavement, which might not impact passenger cars, could be problematic when dealing with such large vehicles. 

Trucks can quickly lose traction. Their size already makes them more likely to topple, so any disturbance on the road makes that worse. 

Loading Errors

Cargo needs to be loaded correctly on a commercial truck. It must be balanced and secured so that it doesn’t move during transport. If the cargo does shift, it can impact the truck’s center of gravity. Driving through a curve or turning could lead the vehicle to topple. 

Truck Malfunctions

The truck itself could have parts that are not working as they should. The brake system can fail or tires can blow in the middle of the highway, resulting in loss of control of the vehicle. 

Who May Be Liable in a Commercial Truck Accident?

One of the first things that our team of premier commercial truck accident attorneys will do when beginning your case is to establish all of the liable parties. With commercial trucks, there is usually more than one responsible entity. 

The trucker is the first person we’ll look at. If they were in any way negligent, they could be held responsible. But what about their employer? The trucking company that hired them could also be to blame because of vicarious liability. They are responsible for the actions of their agents if the accident occurred while they were performing their duties. 

If the crash happened because of loading errors, then that can come down to the party in charge of this process. Trucking companies often use third-party businesses for loading the cargo. If the trucker was responsible for checking that the cargo was secured, and they didn’t do so, then they can also be responsible. 

In instances when road conditions caused the crash, you may be able to file against the entities that are supposed to maintain the street. This is usually a local government. 

Finally, if a part malfunctions and causes a commercial truck accident, the manufacturer could be to blame. These are complex claims that require experienced representation to prove that the truck part didn’t function as intended. 

FAQ

Trusting Our Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyers in Auburn, ME

The aftermath of a commercial truck accident can be overwhelming. You could be facing significant medical bills and be unable to go to work. At the same time, you could be in serious pain that prevents you from living your life as you used to. If another party caused the collision, you may have the legal right to pursue compensation. 

At Gideon Asen, our tenacious team of lawyers can guide you through the process of filing a claim against the liable parties. We know how to aggressively negotiate for compensation and have experience with litigation, if that’s necessary. 

Don’t wait to begin your case against those who caused you harm. Contact our team to schedule a free case assessment with one of our commercial truck accident attorneys.