Truck Accident Injury
An automobile collision with a semi-truck and trailer, even at low speed, generates many times the injury producing forces that are generated in a similar car to car crash - because of the much greater mass (weight) of the semi-truck/trailer (Physics geeks: See Newton's Laws of Motion - especially the 2nd Law). The collision may not have caused signigicant visible damage to the car, but there is often damage under the surface: a bent frame or bent or broken bumper supports. The collision forces that are not absorbed by the vehicle are transferred to the vehicle occupant - who is instantly propelled by the force of the collision until stopped by the seat belt or interior of the car. This instant acceleration/deceleration of the body can, and usually does, cause injury - because the crash forces cause parts of the body, usually the spine, and especially the cervical spine (neck), to move in abnormal ways and beyond the usual ranges of movement.
Trucking companies bring in insurance investigators, adjusters, and even attorneys immediately upon the happening of a car/semi-truck crash in order to more favorably set the stage for their defense of potential claims against them. On the other hand, the person injured in the crash almost never has anyone on their side looking out for them. Oftentimes an attorney will not be brought in for the injured person until after much of the evidence (vehicle damage) has been altered (repaired) or lost (vehicle sold). It is essential that the evidence be preserved either by retention of the car or at least by several photographs of the vehicle damage from various angles. And it is usually beneficial to bring in an attorney earlier rather than later.
Many lawyers handle car crash cases but few have handled car-truck crash cases, and fewer still understand the injury generating forces of low speed collisions. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) apply in addition to the laws of the state of Colorado in trucking accident cases. I have found that early evidence gathering and retention and investigation based upon FMCSR violations are productive and that knowledge and advocacy of collision injury forces almost always result in bigger recoveries and better outcomes.
Fort Collins Colorado Truck Accident Injury Lawyer Mac Hester
