Ohio Truck Accident Attorney

Chester Law Group Co., LPA: Protecting the rights of victims in large truck collisions

Imagine this:

An 18-wheeler drifts across two lanes on the Ohio Turnpike, waking the exhausted truck driver just in time to avoid a collision.

You are navigating your compact car through the I-75 to I-80 interchange in Rossford, Ohio when you find yourself sandwiched between two merging semi trucks. Can they see you?

Another day on Ohio's I-70: fully loaded tractor-trailers, minivans, cars, motorcycles, and SUVs all jockeying for space on an overcrowded freeway.

We've all been in stressful situations like this. Every day on Ohio's roads, ordinary drivers must share the road with large trucks, and if a truck driver makes a mistake, the consequences can be catastrophic.

The Ohio truck accident attorneys at Chester Law Group Co., LPA, serve the severely injured victims of Ohio semi and tractor-trailer truck collisions from 15 offices in locations including Akron, Youngstown, Cleveland, Canton, Toledo, and Columbus.

If you were injured in an Ohio accident caused by the driver of a large truck, you deserve full and fair compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other setbacks.

The trucking industry is responsible for making sure regular drivers are safe when they share the road with large trucks, and shipping companies (or their insurers) have the obligation to compensate you and your family for any losses, including catastrophic injury, paralysis, and death, that occur as a result of a semi truck accident.

Whether you were injured in a semi truck accident in Columbus or lost a loved one in a multi-car pile-up caused by a tractor trailer in Akron, Chester Law Group Co., LPA is available to represent you.

If you live in rural Ohio and suffered a catastrophic injury caused by an overloaded coal truck or a badly maintained big rig, contact Chester Law Group Co., LPA at an office near you.

The risk of a serious truck accident is increased by the nature of the trucking industry itself.

Large trucks are less maneuverable than ordinary vehicles in the face of hazards on the road.
Drivers may feel pressured to ignore trucking industry regulations and put in more miles than they should.
Large trucks suffer wear and tear from heavy loads and long stints on the road.

These factors increase the risk of truck collisions caused by:

Truck driver fatigue and stress
Driving at unsafe speeds
Mechanical failure or insufficient maintenance
Difficulty seeing passenger vehicles
Difficulty stopping safely at high speed
Unbalanced loads or overloading

Trucking companies and their insurance have an obligation to compensate you fairly for your tragic loss. We can make sure they live up to that obligation. Our record speaks for itself.

If you have been severely injured in an Ohio semi truck accident...
If your spouse or loved one was killed in an Ohio traffic crash caused by a large truck or tractor-trailer...

Please contact Chester Law Group Co., LPA. Call 1-800-218-4243 or fill out our online contact form now.

Chester Law Group Co., LPA is located in Akron, Youngstown, Canton, Toledo, Columbus, Westlake, Amherst, Beachwood, Mentor, Twinsburg, Ravenna, Warren, Medina, Wooster, and Independence, Ohio.

Our offices serve truck accident victims statewide in Ohio including the following areas:

Akron / Canton, Cleveland Metropolitan Area, Youngstown / Warren, Elyria / Lorain, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, and rural Ohio.

Blog for Truck Accidents

Library for Truck Accidents:

How Your Own Insurance Can Protect You From Negligent Drivers In Ohio
Many drivers are unaware that their own automobile insurance contains a type of coverage known as Uninsured/Underinsured motorists coverage or “UM/UIM” coverage
Using Mediation as a Valuable Settlement Tool in Ohio Personal Injury Cases
One of the pretrial steps that usually occurs prior to a trial is mediation. Mediation is when the parties from both sides of a lawsuit meet with a court hired
Should You Consult a Truck Accident Attorney For Your Personal Injury Claim?
If you have been involved in an accident that involves a semi or big rig then you should consult with a truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
How to Prevent Truck and Car Accidents
Accidents between semi trucks and cars are generally serious creating long-term injury and in some cases death. How do you prevent them?
What You Need to Know About Truck Accidents
Semi truck and automobile accidents occur everyday and in about half of these accidents the semi truck driver is responsible.
Trucks Make Ohio Roads Even More Dangerous Than They Already Are
The roads can be a dangerous place in Ohio, but they can be even more dangerous when large commercial vehicles are involved. Many truck drivers are under substantial pressure to meet increasingly tight deadlines and that can cause them to drive in an overly aggressive manner. Add to this the fact that Ohio routinely receives between two and eight feet of snow a year on top of a generous 37+ inches of rain and it is easy enough to argue that the roads are dangerous enough without aggressive drivers making them worse. If you've been seriously injured or have lost a loved one in an Ohio truck / car accident, call the Ohio truck accident and wrongful death attorneys / lawyers at Chester Law Group at 1-800-218-4243 or order your FREE BOOK entitled The Insider’s Guide to Handling Ohio Accident Claims at www.ChesterLaw.com.
What is a jack-knife tractor-trailer accident? Can these deadly accidents be prevented on Ohio highways?
A jack-knife refers to the type of accident that occurs when a big rig skids and the trailer swings out to form a 90 degree angle with the tractor. These types of accidents are especially deadly because the tractor-trailer can block an entire roadway and cause a multi-vehicle pile-up with many casualties. If you have been injured or someone you love has died in a jack-knife accident on an Ohio highway, contact the Cleveland trucking accident attorneys at Chester Law Group. We have the skills to investigate the accident and get you the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries and losses. The initial consultation is always free. Call us anytime at 1-800-218-4243.
What are the most common causes of Ohio trucking accidents?
In just over half of commercial truck accidents, the big rig driver is at fault. If you have been seriously injured or have lost a loved one to an Ohio trucking accident, you may be entitled to insurance compensation from the trucking company. However, trucking companies often employ teams of lawyers who try to minimize the amount the company must pay. The Cleveland trucking accident attorneys at Chester Law Group can help to protect your rights. We have the experience to go up against the big trucking companies and to get you the fair compensation you deserve. To learn more, call our office at 1-800-218-4243
What You Should Know About Trucking Safety Regulations
Between 2003 and 2006, large truck accidents were the cause of 5000 fatalities per year, according to the Truck Safety Coalition. Driving a semi truck requires special training and careful attention. If a driver loses control of an 18-wheeler, the damage could be catastrophic.

This is why stringent trucking regulations are essential for the safety of truckers and ordinary drivers. Thankfully, some legislators are taking steps in the right direction.

In 2005, laws were changed in favor of trucking companies that allow for an increase in the amount of hours semi truck drivers are allowed to drive..., despite opposition from the Teamsters and trucking safety advocates. The rule was repeatedly struck down in various courts, but the trucking industry managed to extend driving hours anyway.
Truck Driver Fatigue: A Serious Safety Issue We Can’t Afford to Ignore
According to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, collisions involving semi trucks are responsible for 5,000 deaths and nearly 150,000 injuries in the United States every year. In crashes involving both tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles, the overwhelming majority of fatalities are the occupants of the passenger vehicle. Still, hundreds of truck drivers die each year as well.

Why are large trucks involved in so many deadly accidents?

Several factors might be involved, including:

* The size of the truck: A large and heavy vehicle like a semi will do more damage in an accident than a car or even an SUV.

* The amount of time on the road: Trucks are built for shipping, and they make up a sizeable percentage of interstate traffic.

* Truck driver fatigue: Truck drivers spend hours on the road, but dangerous fatigue is avoidable.
Commercial Truck Accidents
The last kind of accident you want to be in is one with a semi truck because when one happens, odds are it is not a minor fender bender. A traffic accident that involves a commercial truck, such as an eighteen-wheeler or other large freight carrier, can be much more catastrophic than an ordinary car accident. A typical fully-loaded large commercial truck can weigh 80,000 pounds or more, while an average passenger automobile weighs approximately 3,000 pounds. Because of this size difference, and the basic laws of physics, any collision between a commercial truck and a smaller vehicle is likely to tragically result in serious, even fatal, injuries. Surprisingly, fatal truck accidents are more likely to occur in rural areas.

In an effort to increase profits, many truck drivers exceed the amount of hours they are legally permitted to drive. Sadly, in the last ten years, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased by 10% due to fatigued semi truck drivers, unsafe semi truck operation, and large, unstable semi truck loads.

Commercial truck accidents can be even more dangerous depending on what kind of cargo the truck is carrying. For instance, hazardous or flammable materials can compound the injuries you have already sustained from the initial crash including burns and respiratory injuries.