If you were hit by a tractor-trailer on an Arizona freeway, the likelihood of walking away uninjured is slim to none because of the sheer weight of these vehicles. In fact, just recently, a driver was killed on the I-10 when the vehicle they were driving was rear-ended by a Freightliner truck around 2 a.m.
While we’re not yet sure exactly what caused this particular fatal truck accident in Chandler, Arizona, we can say that one cause of similar types of trucking accidents has been driver fatigue.
Truck driver fatigue leads to fatalities on Arizona highways on a regular basis. While there are a series of laws designed to prevent truck drivers from getting behind the wheel when fatigued, it still seems to happen, again and again.
As Arizona large truck accident lawyers, we’ve seen these types of accidents throughout Chandler, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Phoenix. Regrettably, some truck drivers are willing to risk driving their big rig, even if they’re really too tired, because they’re being paid by the mile. Unfortunately, many trucking companies turn a blind eye to this practice.
In large truck accidents caused by driver fatigue, punitive damages are appropriate. But there is a very short window of time in which all the necessary paperwork MUST be filed. Trucking companies, by law, are allowed to destroy key documents just six months after the accident. That is why if you have been involved in a trucking accident caused by driver fatigue, you must contact an Arizona trucking accident attorney immediately.
