Lancaster Truck Accident Lawyers

Fighting for Victims of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Pennsylvania

Truck accidents are among the worst events on Pennsylvania highways. PennDOT data suggests that the total number of heavy truck accidents and the fatalities caused by them are the highest they've been over 5 years.

Why do truck accidents cause so many more serious injuries than other vehicle accidents? One of the reasons is sheer size. A "heavy truck" weighs 10,000 pounds or more, while a fully-loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds—the weight of an empty train car. Impact at any speed from an 18-wheeler is going to cause serious consequences. However, there's more to the story.

If you were hurt in a truck accident, speak with a Lancaster trucking attorney at Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLCto learn your legal options. Call (717) 775-7579 today.

The Culture of Hard-Driving

Truck drivers are paid by the mile, meaning their entire lives revolve around hauling for as far and as fast as they can. Shipping companies prefer it this way—it ensures that the risks and costs of non-driving work are passed along to the driver.

"Non-driving" work includes:

• Submitting to federally-mandated truck inspections
• Waiting for loading and unloading
• Driving empty trailers (flying canaries) to pick up new loads
• Planning routes to save time

The danger of this arrangement is that drivers can spend their entire day in the driver's seat and owe money to shipping companies. As a result, truckers push themselves to keep longer and longer hours to make ends meet. Some drivers learn from unscrupulous trucking schools to keep two hours-of-service logbooks, so they'll always appear to be complying with federal law.

This behavior results in thousands of exhausted truck drivers operating thousands of pounds of machinery traveling at 60mph. To call that a deadly combination is not hyperbole—about 1 in 4 truck crashes happened when the driver was hauling for longer than 17 hours. At least 13 percent of truck accidents were caused by fatigue (but experts think the real number is higher).

Injuries Caused by Commercial Accidents

Injuries caused by commercial vehicles vary. However, each one has the potential to cause significant harm. When these injuries happen, victims have the right to file claims against carriers and their insurers for the losses they incur.

Injuries caused by trucking accidents include the following:

• Brain injuries
• Blunt force trauma
• Post-traumatic stress
• Orthopedic injuries
• Severe bone fractures
• Paralysis

In 2022, Pennsylvania had a total of 67,030 reported injuries from traffic accidents. Per PennDOT, Lancaster County is one of the most prolific contributors to traffic accidents in the state. Lancaster’s urban areas mean commercial vehicles are a major presence.

Call Our Lancaster Trucking Law Firm for Help

Since 1922, Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC has stood up for injured people in Lancaster. Our team of truck accident attorneys has helped countless people get the money they needed for medical care, replacement income, and financial stability. If you want to know why your crash happened—and what you can do about it—share your story with our team.

In a free, confidential consultation, you'll be able to explore your options with an experienced trucking lawyer. If we can help you build a case, we'll do it without any upfront cost to you. If you don't win, you owe us nothing—if you win, we'll win together.

Schedule your consultation today. Call (717) 775-7579 or contact us online!