Boston Truck Accident Lawyer

Commercial Motor Vehicle and Truck Accidents in Boston, MA

A commercial vehicle is any motor vehicle operated for profit, usually involving the transport of goods or passengers. In the United States, there are approximately 6.8 million commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are currently more than 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States — a figure that does not include other large-vehicle drivers such as those who operate buses and cargo and delivery vans.

Quick Statistics on Truck and Commerical Vehicles in Boston and Massachusetts

• 129,360 Trucking industry jobs in Massachusetts (1 in 24 jobs in the state)
• 16,500 Trucking companies in Massachusetts
• As of 2017, Massachusetts had a rate of fatal crashes 60% lower than the national average
• In 2019, there were 32 large trucks involved in fatal crashes in Massachusetts (7.1% of all fatal crashes).

Each year, commercial trucks in the United States travel a collective total of 450 billion miles, moving roughly 11 billion tons of merchandise from ports to factories to warehouses to stores and, ultimately, to consumers.

2019 Large Truck Traffic Safety National Findings by NHTSA

• In 2019 there were 5,005 people killed in crashes involving large trucks. This number was almost the same as in 2018 (5,006).
• Seventy-one percent of people killed in large-truck crashes in 2019 were occupants of other vehicles.
• Seventy-seven percent of the fatal crashes involving large trucks in 2019 occurred on weekdays (6 a.m. Monday to 5:59 p.m. Friday).
• Two percent of the drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2019 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher, much lower than drivers of other vehicle types (29% for motorcycles, 20% for passenger cars, and 19% for light trucks).
• In 2019 drivers of large trucks in fatal crashes were less likely than drivers of passenger cars to have previous license suspensions or revocations.
• Large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2019 had a higher percentage (22.9%) of previously recorded crashes compared to drivers of other vehicle types (motorcycles, 22.0%; passenger cars, 18.9%; and light trucks, 17.8%).
• The American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates roughly 72% of all consumer goods are moved by trucks, making the industry worth more than an estimated $800 Billion per year.

What is a Commercial Motor Vehicle?

Every 15 minutes in the United States, tractor-trailers or semi-trucks crash and injure or kill someone, adding up to over 555,000 truck accidents annually. Thousands more accidents happen each year involving other types of commercial vehicles, like delivery vans, rideshare vehicles, or buses.

Examples of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) include:

• Armored trucks
• Big rig trucks (18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, or semis)
• Chemical or biohazard trucks
• Construction vehicles (like concrete mixers, cement trucks, etc.)
• Delivery trucks (Amazon, FedEx, UPS, etc.)
• Dump trucks
• Forklift trucks
• Livestock trucks (carrying bees, deer, pigs, cows, etc.)
• Log trucks
• Moving trucks
• Plow trucks
• Septic tank or sewage trucks
• Snow plow trucks
• Tanker trucks (gasoline or fuel trucks)
• Train trucks
• Tow trucks

In addition to commercial trucks, we can also help with accidents involving other types of commercial vehicles, like:

• Buses (for cities, schools, or companies like Greyhound)
• Taxicabs or rideshare vehicles (like Uber or Lyft)
• Vans (moving vans or Amazon delivery vans)

When accidents happen involving commercial trucks, the passengers in a non-commercial vehicle are 6 to 10 times more likely to suffer injuries and fatalities than passengers of the truck.

Also known as tractor-trailers or 18-wheelers, semi-trucks crash and injure, or kill someone, every 15 minutes in the U.S. Annually, this adds up to about 555,000 truck accidents and accounts for nearly 5,000 fatalities, according to the FMCSA. Collisions with trucks kill more people than accidents involving planes, trains, ships, and interstate buses combined.

Trucking Accidents vs. Passenger Vehicle Crashes

Several factors differentiate commercial trucking accidents from passenger vehicle crashes, most notably the following:

• Higher likelihood of serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries
• Increased vehicle and/or personal property damage
• The size of the company (or companies) involved and their insurance provider(s)

Common Types of Truck Accidents in Boston, MA

Vision Zero Campaign in Boston

“In 2015 the City of Boston committed to Vision Zero, a data-driven effort to eliminate serious and fatal crashes on city streets by 2030. Nearly six years later, the City of Boston has demonstrated consistent and measurable progress toward its goals, and has much to be proud of, including continuing to reduce pedestrian fatalities during a year when they skyrocketed across the country.”

Common Causes of Commerical Truck Accidents in Boston, MA

Commercial truck accidents can happen for any number of reasons. However, they can often be the result of the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver neglecting to comply with federal safety standards.

Many trucking companies encourage truck drivers to cut corners as a way to maximize their profit, even though it can put those sharing the road in danger.

Causes of Truck Accidents

When a truck is involved in an accident, the injuries and damages can be much more severe because trucks are often 20 to 30 times as heavy as standard passenger vehicles.

Due to their additional size and weight, commercial trucks require nearly double the amount of brake time compared to ordinary vehicles. A truck traveling at 65 mph needs to start braking 525 feet before reaching a full stop. A passenger vehicle driving the same speed, on the other hand, may only need 300 feet or less.

Causes of commercial vehicle accidents include:

• Distracted driving: According to the FMCSA, 71% of large-truck crashes happened when the trucker was doing something else while driving, like eating, using a cell phone, or checking the map.
• Driver fatigue or drowsiness: Driver drowsiness can impair a driver’s response time to on-the-road hazards, which increases the risk of accidents. According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), 13% of CMV drivers were fatigued at the time of the crash. Another study found that 3 out of 4 commercial vehicle drivers experienced at least one type of driving error as a result of drowsiness.
• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol: 17% of CMV drivers at the time of the crash were using over-the-counter drugs, some of which (like cold pills, allergy medicines, and sleeping pills) can induce drowsiness, according to the FMCSA.
• Failure to maintain tires, brakes, and other parts
• Following too closely: 5% of truck crashes happened when the driver followed the vehicle ahead of them too closely, not giving themselves adequate time to brake in the event of an emergency, according to the LTCCS.
• Inadequate surveillance: 14% of large-truck crashes occurred due to the CMV drivers’ inadequate surveillance or failure to see approaching traffic, like during a lane change, according to the LTCCS.
• Overloading trucks
• Pay structures that encourage dangerous driving, like speeding and exceeding the maximum driving hours
• Speeding: 23% of large-truck wrecks involved the truck driver traveling too fast for weather or road conditions, according to the LTCSS.
• Unfamiliar roadways: 22% of large-truck crashes occur when the driver is unfamiliar with the roadway, likely due to their having to check the map while driving.
• Unqualified or untrained drivers

Common Truck Accident Injuries in Boston, MA

Commercial truck accidents often involve far larger vehicles, both in size and weight, than everyday car accidents. This means the injuries many sustain can be more severe, and accidents are more likely to result in fatalities.

Truck accidents can cause a range of serious injuries, including:

• Broken bones
• Disfigurement
• Hearing or vision loss
• Lacerations
• Loss of limb(s)
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Death

On top of serious or fatal injuries, insurance companies aim to minimize the extent of damages and injuries resulting from commercial trucking accidents. Their goal is to get any injured parties to accept as small of a payout as possible in the shortest time possible, to lower their liability and overall costs.

Commercial Motor Vehicle and Truck Accident Lawsuits in Boston, MA

Insurance companies are prone to offering low settlements that don’t come close to the true cost of your auto ordeal. Victims often have no choice but to pick up all pieces on their own after such accidents occur without any help coming from those responsible–the drivers who caused them pain and the companies that often cut corners leading to their commercial drivers being put in harm’s way.

You may be able to file a commercial vehicle accident lawsuit if you or your loved one were:

• Involved in a commercial motor vehicle accident (like a bus, truck, or van)
• Suffered injuries as a result of the accident

How to File a Commercial Truck Accident Lawsuit

Collisions with large trucks and other commercial vehicles can be devastating, leading to a range of potentially severe injuries that can interfere with your daily life and ability to work. That’s why you need an experienced law firm that can make the process easier for you.

If you become a Sokolove Law client, your commercial vehicle accident lawyer and legal team can handle every step of the legal process for you. This way, you can focus on your health and family, while we focus on your case.

Though every crash case differs, the legal process generally involves us:

• Determining your eligibility to take legal action during a free consultation
• Gathering all of the evidence needed to build your case and prove your truck accident claim
• Filing a commercial truck accident lawsuit against the driver or company on your behalf
• Pursuing truck accident compensation in the form of a settlement or verdict

Truck Accident Settlements and Verdicts

After filing a lawsuit, truck accident compensation can generally be secured in one of two ways:

• Truck accident lawsuit settlements: In legal cases, truck accident settlements refer to when your legal team and the defendant are able to agree on an amount of compensation for your injuries, usually before the case proceeds to trial.
• Truck accident trial verdicts: If a truck accident settlement isn’t reached, your case may proceed to trial, where a judge and jury can hear your case and give a verdict that decides the outcome.

Choosing a Boston Truck Accident Injury Lawyer

Without the help of an experienced truck accident attorney, it can be difficult for truck accident victims to successfully navigate the legal system and hold the responsible parties accountable.

But finding the right attorney, one who can offer you all of the skills and resources you need, can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

What to Look for in a Truck Wreck Lawyer in Massachusetts

To find the best truck accident lawyers for your case, be sure to look for a law firm that can offer you:

• Free Case Evaluations: Don’t keep wondering what your legal options are. During a free, no-obligation case review, a member of our team can listen to your story and let you know if you may be able to take legal action.
• Decades of Experience: Sokolove Law has handled personal injury cases like this for over 40 years, helping injured clients pursue the justice and compensation they deserve.
• Nationwide Availability: If you want experienced legal representation near you, look no further than Sokolove Law. As a national commercial truck accident law firm, we can help clients across the country.
• A History of Success: Our personal injury attorneys have successfully recovered over $8.6 Billion for thousands of injured clients nationwide.
• Truck Accident Legal Help at No Upfront Cost: There are no out-of-pocket fees to work with our truck accident attorneys. We’ll only get paid if we’re able to secure compensation on your behalf.