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Largest Automobile Accident Settlements
A young child was hit by a motor vehicle as a pedestrian and was killed. Our firm maintained joint responsibility with another trial attorney and the case settled before trial.
$3.5 Million settlement
$1 Million settlement
Our client was a 25-year-old woman who was in a motor vehicle
accident and suffered a brain injury.
$964,000 settlement
Our client was struck by another vehicle as a pedestrian and suffered
a brain injury, facial fractures and permanent loss of vision.
$775,000 settlement
Our client was a passenger in a motor vehicle traveling at a high
rate of speed on a wet road when the driver lost control and struck
a large rock. Our client suffered severe head injuries, and permanent
paralysis.
$600,000 settlement
Our client was injured in an auto accident and suffered a broken
leg requiring pins and screws, a fractured pelvis, internal bleeding
and a laceration to their colon.
$550,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and sustained a back injury which required surgery.
$500,000 settlement
Our client was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident and suffered
a brain injury.
$470,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and suffered injuries to their back, neck and shoulder and underwent
spinal surgery.
$410,000 settlement
Our client was injured when their vehicle was struck head-on by
a truck and suffered multiple fractures and lacerations.
$400,000 settlement
Our client was a middle-aged woman who was injured in a motor vehicle accident. She suffered a broken ankle, lacerations and numerous bruises on her body.
$400,000 settlement
Our client is a 39 year old woman who was injured in a motor vehicle accident. She suffered a fractured ankle, lacerations and numerous bruising.
$395,000 settlement
Our client was injured while operating a motorcycle and suffered from broken
bones, road burns and multiple contusions.
$388,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle in which
the driver fell asleep at the wheel. The vehicle struck a tree
and rolled over and our client suffered a severe fracture of the
wrist, which required surgery.
$350,000 settlement
Our client was involved in a motor vehicle accident and suffered
a broken pelvis, fractures to the arm and elbow, a dislocated hip
and lacerations. She had surgery on her hip and pelvis and underwent
extensive rehabilitation.
$347,500 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident and suffered
lacerations and broken bones.
$325,000 settlement
Our client was a woman who was injured in a motor vehicle accident.
She sustained injuries to the neck and shoulder, which required
surgery and rehabilitation.
$320,000 settlement
Our client was involved in a rear-end collision and suffered a
back injury, which required extensive medical treatment.
$300,000 settlement
Our client was injured in a rear-end collision while stopped at
train tracks and sustained neck and back injuries that required
surgery.
$250,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and underwent neck surgery.
$225,000 settlement
How to get
your car repaired
Advantages of
Hiring Us
RI Trucking Accident Lawyer - d'Oliveira & Associates
Rhode Island Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer
Tractor trailers, sometimes called 18-wheelers, result in approximately 500,000 accidents each year. Accidents involving automobiles and tractor trailers can be particularly dangerous because of the disparity in size between the two vehicles. Large trucks tend to be heavier and larger than other vehicles on the road. If you have been injured in a tractor trailer accident, you need an injury attorney on your side. Call the Law Offices of dOliveira & Associates today, to get the compensation that you deserve. Please contact the Law Offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.
An Experienced Law Firm
The Law Offices of dOliveira & Associates have experience in pursuing tractor-trailer accident cases. In fact, one of our clients was injured in a rear-end 
collision with a tractor-trailer truck and the vehicle burst into flames. She suffered severe injuries including a fractured vertebra, lacerations and burns. Our Firm remained jointly responsable with another trial Attorney, who settled the case for $1 Million.
Causes of Tractor-Trailer Injuries
Large truck accidents occur for a number of reasons including: tire problems, negligence, use of alcohol and/or drugs, abrupt breaking, and issues with improper vehicle maintenance. Typically, large trucks travel at high speeds averaging around 70 miles per hour, which makes accidents on the road both more likely and more serious. Driver fatigue on the part of the large trucks driver also increases the possibility of a crash on the road. Sometimes tractor trailer drivers are pressured into driving 16 hours or more a day in order to meet cargo shipping deadlines. Studies have shown that, after 8 consecutive hours of driving, a truck drivers alertness and performance begin decline significantly. When surveyed, many long-haul truck drivers have even reported falling asleep at the wheel at some point during a 30-day period. The long hours worked by tractor-trailer drivers can greatly impair other motorists safety.
Additionally, large truck accidents may occur if products being hauled fall off of the vehicle. Examples of cargo that might be likely to loosen and become detached from the vehicle include gravel, logs, bricks, lumber, or other building products. This may cause the driver to lose control of his rig. Nearby motorists are likely to become severely injured if such loss of control occurs. Furthermore, truckers may not be complying with federal safety regulations in the securing of their products and cargo. The failure to distribute properly and adequately secure cargo may serve as grounds for a case against the trucking company and/or the truck driver.
As with all vehicles on the road, an accident can occur if large trucks are not inspected, repaired, or maintained properly. A tractor-trailer may not be able to stop suddenly to avoid hitting another car in front of it if the trucks breaking system is not maintained properly. It is also important to make sure that all of the lighting devices on the commercial truck are working properly to enable the tractor-trailer to have full visibility and to be on notice if something unexpected appears during the drive.
The legal blood alcohol limit for tractor-trailer drivers is less than that for drivers of smaller compact cars. The legal limit for ordinary vehicle drivers is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. However, under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations the legal limit for commercial motor vehicle drivers is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04. Commercial motor vehicle drivers are also prohibited from using several controlled substances. These strict limits are imposed on large truck drivers because of the increased dangers presented by such vehicles. If a large truck hits a small vehicle on the road, the chance for severe injury is great. When you add alcohol or drugs into the equation, this chance increases significantly. If the driver of a tractor-trailer has been drinking or engaged in drug use, such information is extremely important for any later legal case, as this conduct may have contributed to an accident on the road.
Other common causes of truck accidents include:
- Speeding
- Tire blow outs
- Overloaded commercial vehicles
- Truck rollover
- Failure to follow safety procedures
- Unlicensed drivers
- Equipment transportation
- Cargo that shifts weight
- Truck back-up/moving in reverse
Injuries From Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Tractor-trailer accidents can result in serious injuries including: neck and back injuries, loss of limb, brain injuries, and paralysis. Other serious injuries may also occur as a result of an automobile accident involving a large truck.
One out of every eight traffic related deaths involve tractor-trailer trucks. Over the past ten years, the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks increased by 10%. These vehicles are also referred to as large commercial trucks, semi-trucks, big rigs, or 18-wheelers. Such large trucks can weigh an astounding 80,000 pounds or more, whereas an average automobile weighs about 6,000 pounds.
In February 2005, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that an estimated 5,200 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks nationwide. Additionally, approximately 115,000 people nationwide were injured as a result of large truck accidents. The damage that can be done to small automobile and the passengers inside can be devastating. Oftentimes the passengers or occupants of the automobile will die or suffer debilitating, life threatening injuries, while the truck driver may escape with little or no injury whatsoever.