Truck Accident Lawyers Medicine Hat

When negligent truck drivers engage in wrongful behaviour on the road, the consequences can be fatal. According to the most recent report on Alberta Traffic Collision Statistics, despite being involved in just 2% of total vehicle collisions, trucks are responsible for 10% of fatal collisions on the province’s roads and highways.

In accordance with the province’s Traffic Safety Act, all drivers owe a duty of care to other road-users. That means that anyone who operates a motor vehicle on the province’s roads and highways are required by law to do so with a reasonable degree of caution, taking the safety of other motorists, their passengers, motorcycle riders, cyclists, and pedestrians into account at all times.

Truck drivers are not exempt from the rules of the road. Indeed, owing to their vehicles’ outsize weight and size in relation to smaller passenger vehicles, truck drivers should be vigilant about maintaining safe driving habits.

Unfortunately, truck drivers often indulge in a number of distractions behind the wheel or adopt other unsafe driving practices to meet the demands of their job. In many instances, truck drivers knowingly exceed the speed limit in order to try reaching their delivery destination on time. They might forgo sleep and proper nutrition in order to stick to an impossible schedule, thereby operating their vehicles past the point of physical exhaustion. To combat fatigue and stay awake for long stretches of time, truck drivers might rely on amphetamines, stimulants, or other illicit substances that could jeopardize the lives of other road-users.

If a truck driver fails to uphold their legally mandated duty of care and an accident ensues as a result, they might be considered negligent. As such, they may be liable for damages incurred by injured accident victims.

Additionally, other parties or entities may also be considered contributorily negligent if their own wrongful actions contributed to the circumstances leading to the collision. For example, if a trucking company was aware that their employee had a history of reckless driving but failed to take disciplinary action and continued sending them out on assignments, the company might be responsible for compensating accident survivors injured as a result of their inaction.

By working with our Medicine Hat truck accident lawyers, injured victims of these traumatic collisions may be able to recover the compensation they deserve. To learn more about options for financial compensation that might be available to you after being injured in a collision with a large commercial vehicle, contact us to take advantage of a free initial consultation with our truck accident lawyers serving Medicine Hat.

Contact Our Offices Today

The aftermath of an injury-causing truck accident can be overwhelming. But it is important to realize that help is available.

To discuss your case with our Medicine Hat truck accident lawyers and receive personalized legal advice in a free initial consultation, call our office today. We are standing by to offer you a cost-free, no-obligation consultation on your case.