Woman Killed in 18-Wheeler Accident

A woman was killed when her pickup struck an 18 wheeler that was parked on the side of I-65 near the Shelby County Airport exit on Friday afternoon. Police say 52-year-old Lori Killingsworth of Calera was driving by herself when the accident occurred. The truck driver was not injured in the accident. The reason for the truck being pulled over to the shoulder was not reported.

Large trucks may have to stop on the side of the road because of mechanical problems or shifted loads, or even to get some rest in order to comply with hours of service obligations for commercial drivers. However, truck drivers are required under federal law to immediately activate the truck's hazard lights and place warning devices on the traffic side of the truck at distances of 10 feet and 100 feet from the disabled commercial vehicle. Failure to follow these safety precautions may make it difficult for other motorists to see the disabled vehicle.

If you have suffered an injury in a truck accident, contact an experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyer today at 1-877-925-5373. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent victims of personal injury in Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. Our Birmingham truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't pay a fee unless you receive compensation for your truck accident injuries.

Ambulance Involved in Crash After Leaving Scene of Truck Accident

An ambulance leaving the scene of an accident involving an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash Thursday morning while en route to the hospital. The original accident occurred on I-20/59 in Bessemer near the Academy Drive exit when a car crossed the center median and hit a large truck. The car's driver was transported to the hospital. The truck driver was not injured in the crash.

An ambulance leaving that scene (without any injured passengers) crashed into the back of an SUV near the Alabama Adventure exit, causing the SUV to roll over several times. A 72-year-old passenger was ejected from the SUV. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the ambulance was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

If you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, a Birmingham truck accident attorney can help you seek justice for your loss. Contact an experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyer at 1-877-925-5373 to discuss your case. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent victims of personal injury in Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. The Walker Law Firm provides aggressive representation of every Birmingham truck accident case we handle. Let us fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your Birmingham truck accident injuries.

Proposed Texting Ban Targets Commercial Drivers

The federal government plans to ban texting while driving for commercial vehicle operators. The announcement came after the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Distracted Driving Summit" last week. President Obama has already signed an executive order banning texting while driving for federal employees who are on the job. The proposed commercial driver ban would apply to interstate bus drivers, school bus drivers, rail operators and truck drivers.

There is no doubt that texting while driving is dangerous. According to a study released in July by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash event than drivers who are not distracted. Drivers who send text messages behind the wheel take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds - that’s long enough to travel the length of an entire football field! When distracted driving is the cause of a truck accident, injured victims deserve compensation for their medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck crash, contact the experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys at The Walker Law Firm today at 1-877-925-5373. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent truck accident victims n Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. Our Birmingham truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't pay a fee unless you receive compensation for your injuries.

Bankhead Tunnel Closed After Overheight Truck Gets Stuck

An 18 wheeler got stuck in the Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile at around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, causing the road to be closed for hours while crews removed the truck and assessed the damage to the tunnel. The 13 1/2-foot high truck, which was headed from Arkansas to Florida, incurred major damage when the driver attempted to drive through the 12-foot high Bankhead Tunnel. The tunnel is equipped with height sensors that sound an alarm and flash red lights when an overheight vehicle is approaching. The driver, who apparently ignored these warnings, was cited with failure to heed a traffic signal.

Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident. However, negligence on the part of truck drivers often results in serious injury and even death to other motorists on the road. According to a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the critical factor that causes the majority of large truck crashes is driver negligence. Victims injured in truck crashes caused by a truck driver's carelessness deserve compensation for their physical, emotional, and financial losses. The experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyers at The Walker Law Firm help truck accident victims get the compensation they deserve for their injuries.

If you have suffered an injury in a Birmingham truck accident caused by the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company, contact our experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys today at 1-877-925-5373. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent victims of personal injury in Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't pay a fee unless you receive compensation for your Birmingham truck accident injuries.

Report: Truck Accident Injuries Did Not Decline in 2008

A report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that there were 677 fatalities and 23,000 injuries in large truck accidents in 2008. Although fatalities in large truck accidents decreased by 16% in 2008, the number of injuries suffered in large truck crashes remained the same. Sadly, victims injured in large truck accidents are frequently left with permanent disabilities.

Occupants of other vehicles involved in truck accidents are more likely to suffer serious injuries than occupants of large trucks. Truck accident victims often suffer severe catastrophic injuries, such as spinal cord injury, paralysis, and traumatic brain injury, that can reduce the quality of their lives forever. When truck accidents are caused by driver negligence, accident victims are entitled to seek compensation for their injuries.

If you have suffered a serious injury in a Birmingham truck accident, you should contact an experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyer at 1-877-925-5373 to discuss your case. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent victims of personal injury in Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. The Walker Law Firm provides aggressive representation of every Birmingham truck accident case we handle. Let us fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your Birmingham truck accident injuries.

Two Dead in 18-Wheeler Collision

Two 18-wheelers crashed on Interstate 10 just East of Mobile on Wednesday, killing both drivers. The head-on collision caused the trucks and their cargo to burst into flames. Only one of the drivers has been identified by authorities as a 45-year-old man from Beaver Creek, Ohio. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Although we do not yet know the cause of this crash, truck accidents are often caused by the negligence of truck drivers or trucking companies. A trucking company may be deemed negligent in causing a Birmingham truck accident if it fails to maintain its fleet in reasonable condition or fails to ensure the qualifications of its drivers as a means of preventing a foreseeable risk to other motorists. Truck drivers have a legal responsibility to observe a minimum standard of care when loading, inspecting, and operating a commercial vehicle. Drivers who fail to exercise this care may be liable for negligence in causing a truck accident. If you have been involved in a truck crash anywhere in Alabama, a Birmingham truck accident lawyer can help you determine who is responsible for your injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck crash, contact the experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys at The Walker Law Firm today at 1-877-925-5373. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent truck accident victims n Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. Our Birmingham truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't pay a fee unless you receive compensation for your injuries.

Study: Driver Negligence Causes 87% of Truck Crashes

According to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver negligence is the critical reason for 87% of truck crashes. In a truck accident causation study involving 120,000 large truck crashes over a two-year period, 87% of the crashes were found to be caused by one of the following types of driver negligence:

• Non-Performance: The driver fell asleep, was disabled by a heart attack or seizure, or was physically impaired for another reason.
• Recognition: The driver was inattentive, was distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle, or failed to observe the situation adequately for some other reason.
• Decision: For example, the driver was driving too fast for conditions, misjudged the speed of other vehicles, or followed other vehicles too closely.
• Performance: For example, the driver panicked, overcompensated, or exercised poor directional control.

If you have suffered an injury in a Birmingham truck accident caused by the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company, contact our experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys today at 1-877-925-5373. Our Birmingham truck accident attorneys represent victims of personal injury in Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Helena, Homewood, Hoover, Irondale, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't pay a fee unless you receive compensation for your Birmingham truck accident injuries.