Safety Violation Truck Accident Lawyers in Erie, Pennsylvania

The commercial trucking industry in Erie, Pennsylvania, is subject to both commonwealth and federal law. Strict guidelines govern the actions and travels of truckers and their employers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is in charge of regulating the trucking industry. The FMCSA requires truckers to maintain logs of their hours on the road. While driving limitations are designed to prevent unnecessary accidents caused by driver fatigue, unfortunately, these important regulations are routinely overlooked. Consequently, tens of thousands of passenger vehicle occupants suffer catastrophic injuries and fatalities in truck accidents each year. If you were hurt in a collision involving an eighteen-wheeler, there is a chance that regulation violations contributed to your crash.

A driver’s or their trucking company’s failure to abide by regulations places everyone on the road in danger. Due to the magnitude of large commercial trucks, these crashes can be particularly devastating. The injuries and other damages accompanying truck accidents are often life-altering. No victim should ever be forced to bear the grave aftermath of a truck collision without a highly experienced big rig attorney fighting for them. The top-ranked litigators on the Dietrich Legal Team have the knowledge, resources, and determination needed to demand the life-changing compensation that you deserve.

Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his elite team have helped thousands of injured victims and their loved ones recover after heartbreaking accidents. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s select lawyers will aggressively litigate until justice is served. Our highly qualified Northwestern Pennsylvania team has widespread practice negotiating with negligent companies and their insurance adjusters, as well as presenting lawsuits in court. It is hardly surprising that Jed Dietrich, Esq.’s extreme dedication has led to over $175 million in judgments and settlements for clients. Our best of the best lawyers would be honored to provide you with a complimentary, confidential case evaluation and consultation. We are available anytime, day or night, by calling 814-839-3939 or by completing our online consultation form. Please call us as soon as possible so that our battle-tested attorneys can ensure that your claim goes in the right direction!

The FMCSA restricts the number of hours a trucker can drive in a given period. The main purpose of the Hours of Service (HOS) regulation is to limit the risk of semi-truck collisions caused by driver fatigue. Large truck drivers may be behind the wheel for up to 11 hours during any 14-hour consecutive period. This 14-hour window starts from the minute the driver does any kind of work, even if it does not involve driving. Drivers are not allowed to operate a truck over 60 hours within 7 consecutive days or 70 hours within 8 consecutive days. Additionally, drivers must take off at least 10 consecutive hours after driving for 11 hours and take off at least 34 hours in the middle of driving periods spanning 7 days or longer. The FMCSA requires truckers to record their on and off-duty times in log books, and electronic logging devices (ELD) also track their hours. Since trucking regulations were enacted to prevent dangerous conditions, unfortunately, most violations are not uncovered until after a collision or complaint. Some common reasons for trucking regulation violations include the following:

1. Inadequate company protocols and procedures;
2. Deceit by trucking companies;
3. Dishonest truckers;
4. Tight delivery deadlines;
5. Careless monitoring;
6. Turning a blind eye to blatant violations;
7. Lack of enforcement by the trucking company; and
8. Toxic company culture.

Some trucking companies are more concerned with maximizing revenues and profits than preventing shattering accidents. These irresponsible companies will stop at nothing to keep their truckers on the road. Consequently, both truckers and their employers may maintain inaccurate, erroneous, or altered records to give the impression that they have complied with regulations. The FMCSA is tasked with administering both random and scheduled trucking company audits. In a recent year alone, just 5.5 percent of all companies passed audits without any violations. The other 94.5 percent of firms in the industry averaged 6 violations each.

As employers, trucking companies are legally obligated to ensure that their drivers comply with all state and federal regulations. Unfortunately, Hours of Service violations are all too common in the trucking industry. Many negligent companies promote toxic work cultures where drivers are encouraged or even forced to stay on the road longer than they should.

These transportation companies are happy to turn a blind eye or even help alter trucker logs and other records. This frequently results in severe driver fatigue, which in turn causes a substantial number of tragic and fatal trucking accidents. According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), during the 33-month study period, there were roughly 120,000 fatal and injury collisions, which involved 141,000 large trucks. The 3 leading causes of these accidents were speeding, alcohol use, and driver fatigue.

Since employers are responsible for overseeing their employees, the trucking company may be held responsible for its driver’s inattention under the theory of negligent supervision. Negligent supervision occurs when a manager or the overall culture of an organization tolerates risky or destructive conduct. For example, if the company turned a blind eye to its truckers driving over 11 hours in 24 hours, and the driver rear-ends another vehicle. When a trucker causes a collision while violating Pennsylvania or federal regulations, the employers will typically be responsible for the damages caused. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s elite attorneys can prove that negligent supervision contributed to your accident by demonstrating the following:

1. Accepted Responsibility: By showing that the trucking company assumed responsibility for their driver’s actions;
2. Legal Obligation: Demonstrating that the company breached its legal duty to adequately monitor and control its truckers or tractor-trailers; and
3. Proximate Cause: Establishing that the trucking company’s negligence was the proximate cause of your injuries suffered in the truck crash.

Upon retaining the Dietrich Legal Team’s battle-tested litigators, we will thoroughly review the trucker’s log to determine whether he or she had been driving for a lawful number of hours and took sufficient breaks in between. Furthermore, our top rated attorneys will systematically investigate the trucker’s working conditions to conclude if that played a role in the accident. For example, did the trucking company’s guidelines support the driver obtaining enough rest? In situations where truckers are paid per mile, they would have strong financial incentives to surpass allotted duty hours.

Suppose that you or a loved one have suffered critical injuries in a truck accident involving an FMCSA violation. In such a dreadful event, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s seasoned team strongly suggests consulting with our leading truck collision lawyers. Our highly experienced litigators will advance the most effective litigation strategies to negotiate the finest possible outcome. Kindly contact Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his select team at 814-839-3939 or by completing our online consultation form so that we can protect your legal right to compensation!

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 814-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Erie, Pennsylvania. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!