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Anyone who drives a motor vehicle has a legal obligation to keep their focus on the road. This duty applies just as much to commercial truck drivers as it does to anyone else. Unfortunately, truckers who fail to live up to this responsibility and get distracted while driving can cause devastating crashes.
Distracted driving truck accidents in Philadelphia are all too common. Thankfully, when you have been hurt in a truck collision, you have the right to seek financial recovery through proactive civil litigation. Scheduling a meeting with a skilled truck accident attorney can be your first step to getting the compensation you deserve.
Common Truck Driver Distractions
The size and weight of trucks already make them difficult to control, so truck drivers must exercise extreme caution. Even the slightest distraction may result in a catastrophic accident. There is no shortage of ways truck drivers can become distracted behind the wheel, including:
- Making a call on a cell phone
- Reading or sending text messages
- Using a GPS device, radio, or music player
- Eating or drinking
- Completing a written driver’s log
- Reaching for something in the cab
- Physical fatigue
- Intoxication from alcohol or drugs
Only some of these sources of distraction are explicitly illegal for truckers to engage in while driving. Both federal and state laws impose strict restrictions on long-haul truckers operating their vehicles while intoxicated or using a mobile electronic device. Federal trucking regulations also set limits on how long truckers can stay on the road to avoid driving while fatigued.
However, even if a trucker was not breaking a specific law, they still might have acted irresponsibly by allowing their focus to drift away from the road. A knowledgeable Philadelphia attorney can explain how negligence and civil fault may apply to a particular distracted driving truck crash during a free consultation.
Establishing Liability in a Distracted Driving Truck Accident
It is not always necessary to prove how a truck driver was distracted to hold them legally liable for causing an accident. For example, if a truck driver T-bones someone in an intersection because they ran a red light while looking at their phone, the fact that they broke the law by running the light would be enough to establish legal negligence.
There are many situations where it could be less obvious who bears the blame for a particular wreck. In these scenarios, a plaintiff can work with legal representation to collect and present evidence from various sources, including witness testimony, subpoenaed cell phone records, surveillance/dashboard camera footage, and input from experts in accident reconstruction.
Gathering evidence to establish liability in a distracted driving truck accident is difficult without support from a Philadelphia accident attorney. Seasoned legal counsel can be vital to building the strongest possible case within applicable filing deadlines.
Seek Help from an Experienced Philadelphia Attorney After a Distracted Driving Truck Wreck
Distracted truck drivers put themselves and everyone around them at risk of catastrophic harm. When you suffer an injury in a wreck caused by a distracted trucker, understanding and enforcing your legal rights can make a huge difference in your financial security and quality of life moving forward.
Help is available after distracted driving truck accidents in Philadelphia. Reach out to our team at Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys today to learn more.
