If you or someone you love suffered injuries in an accident with an 18-wheeler truck, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you navigate the litigation process. Our lawyers will explain your legal options and help you determine how to proceed. Call us at (800) 794-0444 to discuss your case with a member of our team at no cost to you.
As one of the oldest and largest municipalities of Illinois, Cicero is a constantly growing town of mixed classes and professions. Citizens of Cicero are all too familiar with its quiet and quirky streets occasionally rattled by the sounds of an 18-wheeler truck accident. It is a major area for the agricultural industries and a growing area for mail-order deliveries.
18-Wheeler Truck Regulations that May Lead to a Claim
On highways, 18-wheelers seem easily capable of crushing smaller cars. They are even banned in many residential areas of Illinois because certain streets cannot handle the weight of them. However, the trucking and freight industries continue to grow.
The trucking community that passes through Cicero and the people who call it home both have to share the public roads of Cicero.
Mandated Limits for 18-Wheeler Trucks
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) establishes standards and laws that reflect the federal regulations and the state’s particular needs regarding limits and requirements to truck size, weight, and height. Those limits, and their exceptions, are defined in the Illinois Commercial Driver’s License Study Guide as:
- Width: all vehicles must be 8 feet, 6 inches, exceptions do apply to this rule.
- Length: vehicles must be no longer than 42 feet in length. 18-wheelers have an overall length of 53 feet.
- Height: all vehicles have a maximum height of 13 feet, 9 inches.
- Weight: a single axle is limited to 20,000 pounds, a tandem axle at 34,000 pounds, and a five-axle combination at 80,000 pounds, depending upon axle spacing.
- Lighting: based on the location on the vehicle, lighting may include a type and quantity of yellow, amber, red, and even reflectors.
- Documentation: all vehicles must also have appropriate registration, license plates, and movement documents if the vehicle is moving between states.
Other Ways 18-Wheeler Drivers Must Be Vigilant
- Inspections: All 18-wheeler trucks must perform a pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip inspection for safety, and log the results.
- Stopping distances: 18-wheeler vehicles may take up to two football fields to stop. Depending upon speed, load, and road conditions, this distance could be even longer.
- Changing lanes: because of their size and weight, drivers of 18-wheelers must signal a lane change sooner than most drivers.
- And more.
Additional Commercial Driver’s License Requirements
Maintaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requires participation in routine traffic protocol, such as:
- Consenting to Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) tests at any point or risk disqualification of the CDL license
- Remaining at the scene of an accident
- Coming to a complete stop before crossing railroad tracks
- Practicing safe driving, (speeding, passing a vehicle stopped for pedestrian crossing, driving on a sidewalk, passing a school bus receiving or discharging passengers.)
- Not using any hand-held devices such as cell phones while driving
- Passing any and all mechanical safety tests to ensure the proper function of the commercial motor vehicle
If you believe your accident was caused by the negligence of an 18-wheeler truck driver, you will want to begin collecting evidence and building your case as soon as possible. A Cicero 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer may be able to assist you. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444.
Legal Options for People in an 18-Wheeler Accident
Liability for an accident involving an 18-wheeler truck presents an opportunity in which multiple parties have something to gain or lose. This liability does not affect the validity of your case. When you let Pintas & Mullins Law Firm handle your 18-wheeler accident case, we will explore all options and explain each step, making sure you have a thorough understanding of your legal options.
Determine All Potential Liable Parties
First, our team will investigate each party’s involvement with the accident and determine which legal options will best suit your interests. Our priority is making sure you have a fair and comfortable legal process.
Damages from 18-Wheeler Accidents May Include:
- Pain and Suffering
- Lost wages, or loss of potential wages
- Car or truck repairs or replacements not covered by insurance
- Cost of rental cars not covered by insurance
- Wrongful death
- And possibly more if you qualify
Each accident case is unique and will present an opportunity for us to exclusively defend your rights and your interests.
For a free legal consultation with a 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents Lawyer serving Cicero, call (800) 794-0444
Lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Can Represent Your Case
18-wheeler truck accidents can be devastating, but we want the hardest part for you to be over. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can handle the rest of the litigation process. Time is limited though. Illinois’s statute of limitations §13.202 limits your time to file and claim a lawsuit to two years. There are also exceptions to this statute, which your attorney can help you to understand and ensure you do not miss.
Let a Cicero 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm represent your accident case. It is easy to begin—just give our team a call today for a free consultation at (800) 794-0444. We do not shy away from tough cases, and we work on a contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing out-of-pocket. You only pay attorney fees when you receive compensation from a judgment or settlement. Call us today.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form