Causes of Toronto Truck Accidents

Our personal injury lawyers help you recover the compensation you deserve

Truck accidents happen in and around Toronto every year, leaving many victims dealing with serious injuries. A truck accident can have a significant impact on your life in many ways. If you were injured, medical expenses can add up quickly and you may not be able to return to work. You need experienced legal representation.

The truck accident lawyers at Smitiuch Injury Law fight to hold negligent parties accountable and help the injured recover the financial compensation they deserve. We have the experience and resources of a big law firm, but our lawyers offer the personal attention only a smaller firm can provide. We can guide you through the legal process every step of the way.

Common causes of truck accidents include:

• Speeding: Tractor-trailers are very large and very heavy. So it takes them longer to slow down and come to a complete stop. Drivers who speed aren’t able to stop the truck quickly enough to avoid a collision. Jackknife or rollover crashes are also possible.
• Texting/distracted driving: Texting, using a GPS and adjusting dashboard controls are all examples of distracted driving. These activities take the driver’s eyes off of the road. It may only be for a few seconds. But that is more than enough time for them to miss a change in traffic or road conditions, and they are often not able to react in time to prevent an accident.
• Fatigue/asleep at the wheel: Truck drivers work very long hours and spend a lot of time on the road. It’s easy to become fatigued, which affects their judgment and reaction time. Some drivers even fall asleep while driving. That’s why Canada has hours of service rules that limit the amount of time drivers can spend behind the wheel. Some drivers may try to break these rules to meet a tight delivery schedule.
• Unqualified or unsafe drivers: Trucking companies are responsible for making sure the drivers they hire are qualified and have a safe driving record. Knowingly putting an unqualified or unsafe drivers behind the wheel of a tractor-trailers puts everyone on the road at risk.
• Improper cargo loading: A tractor-trailer’s cargo needs to be properly secured and balanced and fall within certain weight limits. Otherwise, the tractor-trailer can be difficult to control. The result can be a serious accident.
• Poor maintenance and neglected repairs: Trucking companies have a responsibility to make sure the trucks in their fleet are properly maintained. Any needed repairs also need to be made promptly. When their responsibility is not met, it can result in a breakdown on the road that puts people in danger.

Our legal team investigates your truck accident, gathering evidence to help us identify the cause of your accident and the negligent parties. We also carefully review police reports and medical records and interview witnesses. If needed, we consult accident reconstruction experts and other specialists.

If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, we are ready to help. Contact us to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced truck accident lawyer. Our offices are located in Toronto, Brantford and Simcoe.