Violations of federal trucking regulations may be negligence

A truck accident can leave devastation in its wake. If you’ve been involved in one of these wrecks, then you’re probably trying to get your bearings and figure out the best path forward. While your vehicle might have been totaled, the physical and emotional injuries caused to you are much more serous and important. As challenging as it can be to cope with these damages, you might be able to ease them by pursuing a personal injury lawsuit.

To succeed on one of these claims, though, you’ll need to present evidence that shows that the trucker in question caused the accident and your injuries by acting negligently. One way to do this is to show that the trucker was violating federal regulations pertaining to hours of service. These regulations seek to limit the number of hours truckers can operate their rigs so that they remain rested and attentive while behind the wheel.

The regulations pertaining to hours of service address a number of things. For example, a trucker cannot drive more than 11 hours after taking 10 consecutive hours off. Additionally, a trucker can’t drive past the 14^th hour after that 10-hour off period. Truckers are disallowed from driving more than 60 hours in seven consecutive days, and they cannot drive more than 70 hours in eight consecutive days. They also have to take mandatory rest breaks periodically.

Of course, the sad reality is that these regulations are regularly violated, and truckers and truck companies try to hide the fact. With some legal know-how and a strong litigation strategy, though, truck accident victims may be able to obtain documentation and testimony that demonstrates federal violations, which thereby support a showing of negligence.

This is just one of the many ways in which a truck accident victim can seek to impose liability and recover compensation. There are many other legal strategies that may be available. To determine which one works best for them, truck accident victims should consider discussing their case with an experienced personal injury attorney who is results-driven and ready to fight.