Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are the largest vehicles found on UK roads. They are necessary for the haulage of goods and a vital part of Scottish life, but a collision involving these types of vehicles is likely to have very serious consequences.
When an innocent road user sustains injury through no fault of their own, access to an experienced HGV injury lawyer becomes essential.
Serious and fatal injuries
Road traffic accidents involving HGVs, trucks, vans, and lorries all have the potential to cause serious and catastrophic injuries because of their size and weight. And it's the occupants of the smaller and less robust cars who are likely to suffer the worst injuries. The size of HGVs often means that several vehicles, and therefore passengers, are likely to be caught up in an accident.
Because of the high risk, all HGV and lorry drivers are required to undergo special training – they must acquire a professional driving qualification known as the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which involves the passing of four tests. But even with such rigorous training, mistakes can, and do still happen. And, of course, there are many international long-haul drivers on the roads of Scotland and the wider UK.
Common causes of a lorry injury claim
Many of the contributing factors involved in HGV accidents are the same as in other road traffic accidents, such as a negligent driver using their mobile phone at the wheel or driving inappropriately for the weather conditions. However, there are some causal triggers which occur with larger vehicles. Here are just a few examples:
- Blind Spots: HGV drivers have bigger blind spots than most other drivers. Therefore, they may fail to see other road users when changing lanes or pulling out onto a roundabout.
- Weather: Vans, lorries and HGVs are also particularly vulnerable to adverse weather conditions. The length and height of HGVs means they are highly susceptible to strong winds, which can cause them to veer into another vehicle's path or be turned over. And stopping distances in wet and icey weather are long for these weighty vehicles.
- Fatigue: It's usual for HGV and lorry drivers to have to make very long journeys when transporting goods. As a result, many operatives are likely to drive while tired, which can greatly affect their concentration on the road. This may lead to them making an avoidable error which causes an accident.
- Poorly loaded vehicle: The way goods are loaded into lorries and onto transports can affect their safety. Overloading can cause an HGV to become unstable, increasing the chance of it tipping over or of the driver losing control.
Claiming truck accident compensation with Thompsons Solicitors
Accidents involving HGVs are often serious, which is why it's necessary for all the victims involved to have an expert HGV injury lawyer on their side.
As one of Scotland's leading personal injury firms, Thompsons Solicitors has one goal: to help all personal injury victims, including those wishing to make a lorry injury claim, obtain the full amount of compensation they deserve. We approach each and every case with the utmost care and sensitivity, understanding that making a van injury claim is always going to be a very distressing time for you and your loved ones. With our help we hope that you'll be able to better cope with the consequences of the accident and, in time, move on with your life.
As haulage vehicles are used for business, you may, as an HGV or van driver, also find yourself in the position of needing to make a claim against your employer. For instance, the incident may have happened because the vehicle was overloaded under the instructions of the employer. The accident may also have been due to poor maintenance of the vehicle, which again would have been the responsibility of your employer, and they would be liable for any injury suffered by the driver and other road users. In cases such as these, Thompsons has many work accident solicitors who can help you make a successful van accident claim.
Call 0800 0891 331 today, and we'll put you in touch with the right injury claim lawyer for your case.
