While the trucking industry transports and delivers a number of important goods and services across the country, there are dangers associated with any type of vehicular travel. Trucks can be particularly dangerous because of their size.

Unfortunately, the number of tractor trailer crashes that occur in Nebraska and all over the country is high. While many of those accidents only result in injuries, a number do result in loss of life. Our Omaha truck accident lawyers are here to represent victims of those accidents, in an attempt to seek justice and possibly prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.

Even though the trucking industry is a major benefit to our economy, there are a significant number of accidents and deaths that result from a number of causes. According to the Traffic Crash Facts 2017 Annual Report from Nebraska’s Department of Transportation, nearly 50 percent of accidents involved a tractor-trailer, semi-trailer, or other heavy truck. Those accidents attributed to nearly 57 percent of all fatal crashes.

At Welsh & Welsh PC, LLC, we recognize how devastating truck accidents can be. We’re here to provide you with the legal representation you deserve, in the event you or a family member suffers from such a tragedy. We also want to do what we can to aid in the prevention of devastating collisions. Take the following five tips into consideration and you may be able to help truckers avoid causing wrecks.

Christopher P. Welsh of Welsh & Welsh served as plaintiff counsel in a recent Nebraska truck accident case (Basra v. Ecklund Logistics, Inc.) that rewarded the family of a deceased victim with a final verdict of $1.24 million after receiving a fault reduction from the full $2.25 million. Christopher co-counseled with Justin R. Kaufman and Rosalind B. Bienvenu of Sante Fe, New Mexico and Stephen J. Kelly of Santa Monica, CA.

The accident happened when Atinderpal “Gavan” Singh, commercial truck driver, was driving his tractor-trailer on Interstate 80 in Nebraska. A local grass fire was burning nearby when another trucker, a driver for Ecklund Logistics, Inc., slowed his rig to 5 mph in a 75-mph zone– where he was still several miles out from the fire. He drove at this speed for 5 to 10 minutes.

Nebraska highways have their fair share of 18-wheelers and big rig trucks. When those drivers are negligent, they can cause horrible accidents that result in injuries and fatalities. In a commercial truck accident, you will most likely have legal options to explore. You don’t have to have the responsibility of paying for the damages and injuries from the accident if you weren’t at fault.

In the event of a tractor trailer accident, an 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer from Welsh & Welsh can help. We’ve been serving the community of Nebraska for years and are ready to stand up for the rights of state citizens. You can have a free consultation to go over the merits of your case.

On Tuesday, March 6th, a 5-year-old boy from Omaha suffered a head injury after the Honda Accord he was riding in was involved in a truck accident with a semitrailer. The Accord was traveling eastbound on I-80 just west of 72nd Street. According to a witness who saw the accident occur, the Accord started spinning due to icy conditions when it was struck by the semi in the rear. The truck was traveling behind the Accord.

No one else was injured in the accident. The injured boy, Cameron Philpott, was taken to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy in critical condition, but did not survive his injuries. According to the police, he was secured in the back of the Accord in an approved car seat.

According to an investigative report by USA Today, port trucking companies around Los Angeles may be putting hundreds of sleep-deprived truckers to work daily. Numerous truck accidents in recent years prompted the investigation which took into account data over four years using time stamps that were generated every time a driver passed through a port gate. Analysts calculated how long each truck was in operation and compared those results to federal data from 2013-2016.

The reporters found that trucks serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach often operated without their drivers taking the federally-required 10-hour break every 14 hours. On average, the data showed that trucks were in operation without that break 470 times a day. When trucking companies were asked about this information, executives denied violating the regulation and stated that more than one driver often shared a truck.

Sharing the highway with large trucks can be intimidating, especially when you’re stuck in a group of them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released statistics involving truck accidents. In 2016, 4,317 people died in large truck accidents. 17 percent of truck drivers were killed whereas 72 percent of people in other vehicles were killed.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a truck accident in Nebraska? You can seek legal action through the law offices of Welsh & Welsh in Omaha. We believe you shouldn’t have to worry about your insurance when you’re suffering from injuries and need to focus on recovery. Our experienced lawyers can help you or your loved one get the compensation you deserve.

The I-70 in Indiana sees its fair share of car and truck accidents, but some of the most devastating are undoubtedly accidents caused by commercial semi-trucks. The large size and slow stopping speeds of most semis make it difficult for truck drivers to stop in time or swerve to potentially avoid an accident. The I-70 also experiences a great deal of traffic. This combination can spell disaster.

On July 21st in Clay County, a major truck accident on Interstate 70 occurred which began at 5 PM. Multiple cars and semis were involved, and the initial accident—which set off a chain reaction of sorts—started when a semi-truck went off the road at the 25-mile marker. This caused traffic to slow significantly.

Semi trucks, big rigs, 18-wheelers, and other types of large, commercial trucks and buses can be challenging to drive near if you’re in a smaller passenger vehicle. Some drivers are even understandably uncomfortable driving next to a large truck. Semi trucks are noisy, make wide turns, take longer to stop, and can limit visibility. Additionally, it can be nerve-wracking to drive next to these vehicles when you know that any type of truck accident would almost assuredly result in devastation.

In order do our part to avoid dangerous truck crashes, we need to focus on driving safely and cautiously around large trucks. Doing so makes it easier for the truck driver to avoid accidents as well as encourages a smooth, safe flow of traffic.

Almost every product that we use, food that we eat, or item that we purchase has spent some amount of time traveling on United States roads in a semi truck.  Semi-trucks are necessary for making many of life’s conveniences possible.  But these massive vehicles also make our roadways more dangerous.  When a car collides with a semi-truck, the damage is often catastrophic.  Truck accidents are different from car accidents in many ways.

Trucks are substantially heavier than cars

The average passenger car weighs 3,500 pounds.  A semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds.  Simple physics dictates that a crash between a large object and a small object will result in greater damage to the smaller object.  The enormous size difference between cars and semi-trucks makes their collision very dangerous.