Lying directly in between Interstates 5 and 15‚ and bisected by State Route 78‚ Vista certainly sees its share of tractor trailer traffic. Truck traffic through Vista is essential to the city’s economy‚ but also a danger to the smaller passenger vehicles it shares the roadways with. If you or a family member has been in an accident with a tractor trailer‚ you need to contact an experienced Vista auto accident attorney.
For over 15 years‚ the legal team at Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers has successfully represented tractor trailer accident victims and their families. Let us put our skills and knowledge behind your claim so you can get the settlement you deserve. Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers today at (888) 233-5020 for a free consultation with a Vista personal injury lawyer.
A Deadly Presence on Vista Roads and Freeways
Due to their massive size and weight‚ tractor trailers (also referred to as semi-trucks‚ big rigs‚ or 18 wheelers) are a constant and even deadly presence on our Vista’s roadways. Weighing in at up to 80‚000 pounds and stretching over 70 feet in length‚ tractor trailers are vastly larger than the average passenger vehicle. It is this size and weight disparity that makes semi trucks so dangerous to the occupants of smaller vehicles. In 2014 there were 1‚966 fatalities nationwide resulting from collisions between big rigs and passenger vehicles. Of those killed‚ 97 percent were occupants of passenger vehicles. This is a staggering and sobering statistic for anyone who uses America’s streets and highways.
Other factors contribute to why tractor trailers are so dangerous. For one thing‚ big rigs are not a single unit‚ they have two and sometimes three separate units attached together. This makes them vulnerable to jackknifing‚ detachment‚ and rolling over. It also takes semi trucks longer to come to a stop than it does for smaller vehicles. A normal passenger vehicle traveling 55 miles per hour can come to a complete stop in 225 feet under ideal road conditions. An 18 wheeler traveling at the same speed and under the same conditions requires 335 feet to come to a complete stop.
Damages Awarded in a Tractor Trailer Accident
If you are involved in an accident with a big rig in Vista‚ you may be able to pursue compensation for any of the following damages:
- Medical bills
- Future medical bills related to your injuries (reconstructive surgeries‚ skin grafts‚ etc.)
- Pain and suffering
- Costs of physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Permanent injury or disability
- Household and vehicle modifications‚ if necessary (wheelchair access ramps‚ etc.)
- Lost wages
- Loss of career or earning capacity
- Reduced earning capacity
- Hedonic damages for loss of joy of life
- Wrongful death damages if you’ve lost a loved one
- Punitive damages
Is Retaining Tractor Trailer Attorney Necessary?
ABSOLUTELY! Insurance companies who represent trucking companies have rapid response teams throughout the country who will dispatch representatives immediately when informed of an accident. They also employ armies of lawyers who will try to mitigate the operator’s and trucking company’s liability. This is why you not only need the representation of an attorney‚ but representation by an attorney who has tangled with trucking companies and their insurers before.
Contact an Experienced Vista Truck Accident Attorney
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers have helped truck accident victims and their families get the financial settlements they deserve. Contact us for a free case consultation at (888) 233-5020.
