Tag Archives: Indianapolis Truck Accident Lawyers

The Law Office of Craven, Hoover and Blazek Can Help Truck Accident Victims in Indiana

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If you or someone you love is a recent victim of a trucking accident in Indiana, it is important to learn your rights to being properly compensated for your resulting damages and losses. Financial obligations like hospital bills, medical expenses, and similar bills are adding up, so be sure to reach out to one of our Indiana personal injury truck accident lawyers as soon as possible after the collision, before the Indiana statute of limitations runs out for your case.

Continue reading to learn what we can do for you, and how to get started.

Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Truck Accidents and Injuries

According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), a large truck is defined as any vehicle that is:

⚙ Single 2 Axle, 6 Tires
⚙ Single 3 or More Axles
⚙ Truck/Trailer that is Not a Semi
⚙ Tractor with Cab Only and No Trailer
⚙ Tractor/One Semi-Trailer
⚙ Tractor/Double Trailer
⚙ Tractor/Triple Trailer

Truck accidents tend to be more serious than other automotive accidents because they involve larger and heavier vehicles, and usually generate more momentum and forces involved. Furthermore, some large trucks carry dangerous or hazardous cargoes, such as flammable materials, chemicals, fuel, and more. Consequently, vehicles like semis, delivery trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and other commercial vehicles are capable of doing more harm and damage than a passenger car.

According to the most recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) statistics, between 2014 and 2016, more than 12,000 victims lost their lives to large truck accidents in our country, and just over 2,000 of those victims were drivers or occupants of large trucks. Common injuries resulting from large truck accidents include orthopedic injuries, fractures, concussions, brain injuries, paralysis, quadriplegia, comas, spinal cord injuries, back and neck injuries, shoulder injuries, head injuries, wrongful death, and more.

What to Do for Your Truck Accident Claim

Here at the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C., our Indiana personal injury lawyers have handled numerous truck accident cases involving semis, dump trucks,  bus and large truck collisions throughout the entire state roads and highway system. We retain a comprehensive understanding of all state and federal trucking regulations, and strategically apply our expansive knowledge to prove our client’s truck accident case in court and recover the full and fair settlement our clients deserve.

How to Get Started

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to file a personal injury truck accident claim in Indiana. Our seasoned personal injury lawyers are ready, willing and able to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in a large truck accident in Indiana. We offer free initial consultations and never collect attorney fees unless we recover for you.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

State Regulations for Truck Drivers Regarding Drugs and Alcohol

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Truck Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Truck Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

The trucking industry must follow several federal and state protocols and procedures, including licensing, equipment regulations, loading regulations, safety regulations, and much more. Not only do these rules and codes of practice have to be obeyed by all U.S. truckers, they must also be followed by any Canadian or Mexican trucking companies driving on U.S. soil. Truck accidents are all too common, which is why truck safety is so vital to the industry, and why these regulations exist.

One of the most common causes behind truck accidents is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Continue reading to learn what is expected of our country’s truck drivers, and which state regulations relate to drug and alcohol consumption.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

In the United States, anyone driving over the alcohol level of 0.08 is considered an intoxicated driver. In the trucking industry, this alcohol level is much less. The legal limit for an on-duty truck driver is 0.04 or less. Because truckers are performing, “safety-sensitive functions” while on the job, they must be free of drugs and alcohol. This is why truck drivers are tested for drugs and alcohol before they are hired, and further on during periods of their employment.

Truck Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Truck Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

When a new truck driver is in the process of being hired, they are required to take a drug and alcohol test. If they refuse these tests, they cannot be eligible for employment. For those who move forward with the hiring process, they can expect a urinary or blood test, depending on the clinic used and the company’s policy. They must pass both tests by rendering negative results on both drugs and alcohol. Drugs like cocaine and marijuana can stay in a person’s blood and urinary systems for weeks at a time; so a person can take a drug test sober, but still fail if drug-use was in recent weeks. Because alcohol doesn’t stay in your system long, a person who fails an alcohol test is likely to be suspected of consuming alcoholic beverages on the same day of the test. And anyone applying for a driving position while
under the influence of alcohol is not an
appropriate candidate for a truck driver.

State regulations also mandate that when a truck driver is involved in an accident or collision while on-duty, he or she is tested for controlled substances and alcohol once again. If they refuse these tests at the scene of the crime, or sometime following the incident, they are not only subjected to termination, they might also face legal ramifications. Even when accidents are not happening and truckers are not being hired, random drug testing among employees is required in the trucking industry. Each year, trucking and freight companies are legally mandated to randomly test ten percent of their drivers for alcohol use, and 50 percent of their drivers for controlled substances.

If you or someone you loved was recently injured in a truck accident as a result of a negligent truck driver, contact a licensed Indianapolis truck accident lawyer right away. Don’t wait another minute to recover the full and fair compensation you and your family deserve after suffering damages in a truck-related accident.

Indianapolis Truck Accident Lawyers

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with licensed and experienced Indianapolis truck accident lawyers about recovering compensation for your damages following a wreck. Seasoned personal injury attorney, Daniel Craven, retains years of litigation and trial experience. He can settle out of court, or take your case to trial if need be. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we win your settlement! Call 317-881-2700 for more information about filing a truck accident lawsuit in Indianapolis, IN today.