Why Are Alabama Logging Truck Accidents So Dangerous? And What Should You Do After a Crash?

Logging trucks are common on Alabama roads. These big trucks, packed with hundreds of pine and other softwood logs, pose a unique risk to motorists since they’re prone to rollovers and other types of truck crashes.

Keep reading to learn more about log truck accidents and how to protect yourself from potential injury.

Logging Trucks Pose Serious Dangers to Other Motorists

Alabama is one of the country’s top producers of timber products. Our state has a remarkable 23 million acres of timberland, giving us the third most acreage in the United States. We are the country’s second-largest producer of pulp, paper, and paperboard and its sixth-largest producer of lumber and panels.

While the logging industry is an important part of our economy, transporting logs, wood products, and raw timber is a dangerous activity. Not surprisingly, Alabama has some of the highest log accident fatality rates in the South.

What Makes Logging Trucks So Dangerous?

Log trucks, like other big trucks, can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. This makes them difficult to handle and slow to stop. If the company improperly loads its logs, and the chains loosen or logs shift, the truck can easily fishtail or rollover. To complicate matters, log truck drivers have to navigate winding rural roads and often drive for long periods of time, making them more likely to become distracted or fatigued.

RELATED ARTICLE: Truck Rollover Accidents

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we’ve seen log truck accidents involving:

• Improper cargo loading and shifting logs
• Distracted and drowsy driving
• Speeding
• Improper lane changes
• Failure to yield
• Reckless driving behaviors
• Poor truck maintenance
• Unsafe road conditions

If there is one thing we’ve learned from all this experience, it is that every accident is different and deserves its own custom analysis. If you have questions about the causes of your log truck accident, contact our office today.

Four Things You Should Do After a Log Truck Accident

After a crash with a logging truck, you should immediately call 911 and request assistance. When the police and first responders get to the scene, you’ll want to cooperate with their investigation and provide them with your side of the story. Additionally, you should follow these simple rules.

1. Do Not Apologize to Anyone or Take Blame for the Crash

In Alabama, if you are even 1% at fault for an accident, you can lose your right to compensation. Your well-meant apology can complicate and delay your claim, even if it becomes clear that you did not cause the crash. Insurance companies will almost always highlight your admissions of fault and apologies since they can reduce their liability.

2. If You Have Any Aches or Pains, Seek Medical Care

After a dramatic log truck accident, your body will be filled with adrenaline, and you may be more concerned about someone else’s safety. Under these circumstances, it’s easy to ignore your own pain. Unfortunately, refusing medical treatment at the crash scene can harm your logging truck injury claims.

If you tell the police you’re 100% fine and refuse medical treatment, the insurance company will use this statement against you. Rather than tough it out, it’s always best to see a doctor if you’re hurt.

3. Start Collecting Evidence

Big truck companies start preparing their defenses as soon as the crash happens. They sometimes even send insurance adjusters and their investigators to crash sites hoping they can influence the authority’s investigation and crash reports. You need to be just as proactive.

RELATED ARTICLE: What Every Crash Victim Needs to Know About Truck Technology

If you don’t need immediate medical attention, you should take pictures of the crash site, collect witnesses’ contact information, and take notes that can refresh your memory later. While you should never interfere or tamper with the official investigation, your pictures of the crash site and other information can help your lawyers identify the causes of the crash and hold the right people accountable.

4. Call an Experienced Log Truck Injury Lawyer Before You Talk to the Insurance Company

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your log truck accident, you may have multiple claims against the driver, the trucking company, the loaders, mechanics, and other parties who contributed to your injuries. However, it’s difficult for most accident victims to investigate and develop their claims alone.

RELATED ARTICLE: Important Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Car Accident Lawyer

Truck accident lawsuits and claims are complicated and require a great deal of technical and legal knowledge. Simply put, trying to settle your log truck accident claim on your own could result in lost compensation. It’s just not worth the risk — especially when Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys will not charge you a fee unless we settle your claim or get a favorable verdict.

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys: Fighting for Truck Accident Victims

The dedicated injury lawyers at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys have built a reputation for our tough and intelligent handling of logging and other big truck claims. If you or a loved one suffered life-changing injuries in a log truck or other company truck accident, please contact us today. We’d eager to help you understand your legal options and develop a plan of action.

You can contact our attorneys and request a free consultation by either completing our online form or calling us at 251-888-8888.

References

Cole, N.B. (2018, April 25). Regional analysis of log truck crashes in the United States between 2011 and 2015. VirginiaTechWorks. Retrieved from https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/83486/Cole_NB_T_2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Forest facts (2017). Alabama Forestry Commission. Retrieved from http://www.forestry.alabama.gov/Pages/Education/Forest_Facts.aspx

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.