Birmingham Fatigued Truck Driver Accident Attorneys

Fatigued driving is a type of impaired driving. It occurs when a lack of sleep affects a person’s physical and cognitive ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Truck drivers are more susceptible to fatigued driving due to the long hours and the number of miles they drive every day. Most people understand that drunk driving or texting while driving is dangerous and should avoid these actions at all costs. However, many people are unaware that the leading cause of accidents in the United States is fatigued driving.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a fatigued truck driver, you should know your legal rights under Alabama law. You may be entitled to monetary damages, including payment of your medical bills. You may also be entitled to reimbursement for property damage sustained by your vehicle, as well as a lump-sum settlement for pain and suffering.

Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP is Birmingham’s premiere personal injury law firm. Their experienced attorneys have represented thousands of people injured in trucking accidents in the past 20 years. We understand that a collision with a truck can be a life-changing event, and we want to help.

The insurance companies will look for any reason to deny your truck accident claim, even if you were not at fault. The legal team at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP knows how the insurance company operates, and we understand how to fight back. Over the years, Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP has obtained millions of dollars for their clients whose lives have been turned upside-down by negligent truck drivers.

If you have been in an accident caused by a fatigued truck driver, call the team of legal experts at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP now to discuss your case. We can be reached by calling (205) 324-1212 or reaching out to us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Do I Need A Fatigued Driving Accident Lawyer?

If you have suffered injuries caused by a fatigued truck driver in Birmingham, you are entitled to compensation. Perhaps, you are thinking of submitting a claim to the trucking company on your own. Of course, you want to be compensated for your injuries as quickly as possible. You might question, “Do I need a fatigued driving accident lawyer?”

The answer is, “Yes.”

The insurance company’s number one goal is to pay you the least amount of money possible for your injuries. Their loyalty is to their shareholders and board members. Quite frankly, you and your injuries are of no concern to them.

You might receive a letter offering to settle your case soon after your accident occurred. You should never sign these documents. It is the insurance company’s effort to try to settle your case at a discount before you have the chance to retain an attorney.

If a fatigued truck driver injured you, you should speak to an attorney with experience in dealing with trucking companies and their insurers. The attorneys at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP can advise you regarding a fair settlement value for your case and fight to make sure that you receive every penny that you are owed.

Why Choose Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP To Handle My Fatigued Driving Accident Case?

The attorneys at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP have been proudly serving the people of Birmingham for over 20 years. The firm is passionate about providing the best possible legal representation to people in Birmingham who have suffered injuries no fault of their own.

Kirby Faris is a partner at the firm and one of the firm’s founders. He obtained his Juris Doctor from the Birmingham School of Law in 1994 and started his injury practice soon after that.

Mr. Farris is a member of the Alabama Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. He is also active in the Alabama Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice.

Mr. Farris has dedicated his career to helping railroad workers injured on the job through the Federal Employees Liability Act (FELA). He has helped numerous clients recover multimillion-dollar settlements. His successes have earned him the recognition of being name Designated FELA Counsel for the Transportation Communications Union, an accomplishment of which is he very proud.

With over 18 years of experience, Ken Riley is another of the firm’s founding partners. He obtained his law degree at Cumberland School of Law. He specializes in representing people who have suffered severe injuries or death in truck accidents, car accidents, and defective products.

For the past ten years, Mr. Riley was named as a personal injury “SuperLawyer,” a nationally renowned peer-recognition publication. He was named as one of Alabama’s top 50 attorneys in 2017 and has also been recognized as one of Birmingham’s “Top Attorneys” by Birmingham Magazine.

Mr. Riley is licensed to practice before the Alabama Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for Northern, Middle and Southern District of Alabama. He also served as the President of the American Association for Justice from 2016 to 2017 and as the co-chair of the Diversity/Inclusivity Committee in 2015.

Mr. Farris and Mr. Riley are both from Alabama, and they are proud to contribute to organizations in Birmingham that help make people’s lives better. Over the years, they have supported Children’s of Alabama, United Way, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Alabama, Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, Volunteer Lawyers, and many other organizations.

Birmingham Fatigued Driver Trucking Accident Cases

An adult who does not get at least seven hours of sleep at night is at risk for driving fatigued the next day. Tired drivers show impaired driving characteristics, such as decreased reaction times and increased instances of emergency braking. As a result, fatigued drivers on the road are a danger to us all. Fatigued truck drivers are especially dangerous due to the catastrophic injuries they can cause.

The average automobile in the United States weighs around 4,000 pounds. Large commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers can weigh up to 40,000 pounds. It is not hard to imagine that a collision between the two can be deadly for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. Drivers of commercial vehicles in the United States are susceptible to fatigued driving. It’s the nature of the business. Truck drivers are under extreme pressure to deliver their goods on time. Their livelihood depends on it.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has placed regulations on the total number of hours a commercial truck driver is permitted to drive a truck. Their purpose is to reduce driver fatigue and to make sure that drivers of commercial vehicles are awake and alert when they are on the road.

For example, truck drivers are not permitted to drive more than 11 hours per day. They are also prohibited from operating more than 60 hours per week. Further, the regulations require truck drivers to keep a log of the hours spent driving versus the hours spent sleeping for every 24 hours.

Unfortunately, however, not every commercial vehicle driver adheres to the rules. A recent study performed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that there are approximately 328,000 accidents caused by fatigued driving every year in the United States. The study also found that 109,000 of fatigued driving accidents resulted in injuries, including 6,400 deaths.

If You Are a Victim of an Accident Caused by a Fatigued Truck Driver, Call Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP Now

If a fatigued driver caused an accident and you were injured in that accident, the attorneys at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP are here to help. We won’t let the trucking companies take advantage of you. We will fight to make sure that you receive the compensation you’re owed due to the carelessness of the fatigued truck driver. Call the team of experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys at (205) 324-1212 or by contacting us online to schedule your free case evaluation today.