Tractor-trailer trucks are the behemoths of the road. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a total of 4,102 people died in large truck crashes in 2017. Seventeen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 68 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 14 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 30 percent higher in 2017 than in 2009, when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975.

While it is important to contact a lawyer after any accident, it cannot be emphasized enough just how important it is after a truck accident. Immediate investigation and preservation of evidence is a must. Why? Because large trucking companies aggressively investigate and defend themselves against all claims. Did you know that one very large National trucking company has a corporate jet, pilot and investigator on 24 hour standby for just such a purpose? They are dispatched to the scene of all major accidents involving their trucks. They gather evidence, interview witnesses, and hire experts to support their positions.