Overview
It goes without saying that 18-wheelers are much heavier – and much larger – than family passenger cars. A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. As for length, a combined tractor-trailer is generally about 70 feet long.
Given the enormous weight and size of 18 wheelers, there is no room for dispute; they represent an outsized risk to people who are simply trying to enjoy the benefits of our public streets and highways. When a wreck involving an 18 wheeler takes place, the consequences are often far more serious, relative to accidents between family passenger cars. Indeed, high speed crashes that feature a semi-truck frequently turn deadly. Moreover, when the occupants of a family vehicle survive a high-speed wreck with an 18-wheeler, they regularly suffer from devastating injuries that coalesce so as to make life virtually unbearable. Depending on the circumstances, a victim of such a high impact collision may even sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
18 Wheelers Pose a Greater Threat to Public Motorists
Over-the-road semi-trucks are involved in countless crashes every year. Many of those wrecks spring from the difficulty of maneuvering an 18 wheeler. Added to the mix is a recognition that a large semi-truck generally requires a greater stopping distance. Additionally, the vast distances that are customarily covered by 18-wheeler drivers cannot be ignored; the fatigue that builds up during long distance trips heightens the odds of a collision.
The data that stems from collisions encompassing 18-wheelers is worrisome. While exact numbers may be difficult to discern, it seems clear that far too many of those accidents result in a traumatic brain injury. The characteristics of such an injury may be temporary or permanent. Although some TBIs may fall squarely within the inconsequential realm, other TBIs can wreak havoc on the life of the victim. Under such conditions, the fabric that binds the overall family together can be severely tested.
Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury
The symptoms of a TBI vary from person-to-person. Some of the more customary symptoms include the following:
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Dizziness or loss of balance;
- Confusion;
- Grogginess;
- Fatigue;
- Headaches;
- Depression;
- Forgetfulness;
- Sensitivity to light;
- Blurred vision;
- Anxiety and nervousness;
- Irritability;
- Inability to sleep soundly; and
- Diminished self-control.
Vulnerability of the Human Brain
Over the past several decades, cars have become much safer. Features such as airbags have gone a long way toward heightening the safety of automobiles. Nonetheless, a family vehicle is no match for a tractor/trailer weighing 80,000 pounds that spans roughly 70 feet.
Likewise, the thick, rigid characteristics of a human skull will offer ample protection from the situations people normally encounter on a day-to-day basis. However, it comes as no surprise that a skull will yield scant protection when there is a high-speed crash involving an 80,000 pound 18-wheeler; the human brain is far too sensitive to withstand the momentous force that accompanies such a wreck.
Fundamental Need for Proper Training and Supervision of 18-Wheeler Drivers
On a pragmatic level, there is no doubt that 18-wheelers form an integral part of our economy. Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) consistently provide for the timely delivery of products to consumers and businesses. In some respects, the way of life to which we have grown accustomed depends on the operation of over-the-road trucks and trailers.
Despite the positive attributes of 18 wheelers, the need for safety must be foremost in the minds of trucking company executives. To that end, trucking companies must ensure that drivers are properly qualified, and they must place a premium on thorough training from the moment at which a semi-truck driver is hired. With the passage of time, trucking companies must continue to place an overarching emphasis on the need for safety. Among other things, they must constantly scrutinize the amount of time drivers spend behind the wheel – and the speed at which they travel. The need for close supervision cannot be underestimated.
As with all other commercial enterprises, trucking companies will undoubtedly experience the ups and downs of business cycles. In the face of declining revenues, however, trucking companies must remain vigilant. The fundamental need for safety cannot waiver; it must remain constant.
From a big picture perspective, it is readily apparent that trucking companies which respond to decreased revenues by cutting their safety expenditures will ultimately feel the consequences of their greed. In the long run, such tactics will result in more collisions – and some of those collisions will trigger serious injuries, including TBIs. When those dynamics unfold, juries will shed no tears for greedy companies that have destroyed the lives of innocent motorists. Large verdicts will be in order.
Speak with a Lawyer at Tefteller Law, PLLC
For well over a decade, Tefteller Law, PLLC attorneys have maintained an intense focus on cases involving a traumatic brain injury. If the behavior of a family member who has been struck by an 18-wheeler has markedly changed, contact Tefteller Law. The lawyers at Tefteller Law have represented numerous TBI victims situated across Texas. In doing so, Tefteller Law attorneys have regularly clashed with mean-spirited insurance companies. Along the way, Tefteller Law attorneys have amassed an excellent reputation.
All things considered, Tefteller Law is proud of the hard-fought reputation it has achieved while tenaciously battling to advance the interests of injured Texans. Suffice to say, Tefteller Law will compare its record of success with anyone.
Notwithstanding the marked level of success it has achieved, Tefteller Law cannot – and will not – offer any promises or guarantees. Indeed, it is difficult to envision a scenario wherein a reputable law firm would extend a promise or a guarantee in connection with a personal injury lawsuit.
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