Occupants of passenger cars involved in accidents with 18 Wheelers and other large commercial trucks are often seriously injured or killed because of the substantial size and weight difference between the big truck and the automobile. Big rigs cause thousands of fatalities and over one hundred thousand injuries each year. Exceeding the speed limit and fatigue are the most common causes of collisions with commercial trucks, including18-Wheelers, tankers, dump trucks, panel vans, log trucks and pulp wood trucks. Accidents commonly occur on Interstate Highways, such as I-10, I-12, I-20, I-49 and I-55 in Louisiana, where truck traffic is generally heavier than on state and local roads.

Many commercial vehicles are governed by special state and federal laws and regulations that vary depending on the size and weight of the tractor and trailer or tanker, on whether the rig travels intrastate or interstate, and on whether the trailer or tanker hauls liquids or hazardous materials. The experienced Baton Rouge, Louisiana truck accident trial attorneys at Due', Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews are knowledgeable about the federal and state laws and regulations applicable to the trucking industry and will leave no stone unturned when investigating compliance with licensing requirements, permits, hours of service rules and log books, post-accident drug and alcohol testing, and training and supervision.

Louisiana law applies pure comparative fault to truck and 18 wheeler wrecks which means that every person causing or contributing to the accident must pay for the damage he/she causes. So, even if you were partially at fault in causing your truck accident, you may still be entitled to monetary damages to compensate you for your serious injuries and damages if some other person or entity was also partially at fault.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a wreck with a big rig, it is important to remember that many commercial tractors or trucks are equipped with electronic event data recorders (EDR) or "black-boxes" that record accident data, including braking and speed prior to a collision. If this information is not downloaded immediately after an accident, the information can be over-written and lost forever. 18 wheeler accident victims should contact an experienced truck accident lawyer immediately following a collision with a big rig.

The Louisiana trial attorneys at Dué, Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews have collected millions of dollars for personal injury and wrongful death clients involved in18-Wheeler accidents, including multiple cases involving rear-end collisions with defective ICC under-ride guards or bumpers.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured or suffered a wrongful death in a wreck with a large commercial truck, contact the experienced Baton Rouge, Louisiana truck accident lawyers at Dué, Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews.