Personal Injury

The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents and How to Prove Negligence

By
Benjamin U. Bowden
on
April 21, 2025

You’re driving down I-10 near Gulfport when a semi-truck suddenly swerves into your lane. One second, you're on your way home — the next, you're calling 911, unsure of what just happened. Was the trucker too tired to drive? Was the truck even safe to be on the road?

After a truck accident, it’s not enough to know you were hurt — you need to know why the crash happened and who is at fault. At Ben Bowden, PC Trial Lawyer, we help accident victims in Gulfport and across the Mississippi Gulf Coast uncover the truth and fight for the compensation they deserve. Here’s what you need to know about what causes truck accidents — and how we prove negligence.

The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents often lead to serious injuries or even death. These crashes don’t just happen — they’re usually the result of preventable mistakes, such as:

Driver Fatigue: Federal law limits how many hours a truck driver can spend on the road, but not every driver follows the rules. Exhausted drivers have slower reaction times and make dangerous decisions behind the wheel.

Poor Maintenance: Trucking companies are required to inspect and maintain their vehicles. When brakes fail or tires blow out because of poor upkeep, it puts everyone on the road in danger.

Distracted Driving: Texting, eating, or even reaching for something in the cab can cause a truck driver to lose focus — and in a vehicle that weighs 80,000 pounds, a moment’s distraction can be deadly.

Overloaded or Unbalanced Cargo: Overweight or poorly loaded trailers can cause a truck to tip, sway, or fail to stop in time. This isn’t just a trucking issue — it’s a public safety issue.

Speeding and Aggressive Driving: Truckers under pressure to meet deadlines may drive too fast or follow other vehicles too closely, making it harder to avoid collisions.

How We Prove Negligence After a Truck Crash

To win a truck accident case, you need more than your word — you need evidence that shows the trucker or trucking company acted carelessly. Here’s how we build your case:

Collect the Right Evidence: We gather police reports, eyewitness statements, and your medical records to document what happened and how it affected you.

Analyze the Scene: From skid marks to surveillance footage, we examine every detail of the crash site to understand what went wrong.

Bring in the Experts: We work with accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and engineers to explain how the crash happened and who is responsible.

Dig into the Trucking Company’s Records: We look at driver logs, maintenance records, and company policies to uncover violations of state or federal regulations that may have contributed to the crash.

Why Gulfport Trusts Ben Bowden, PC Trial Lawyer

Truck accident cases aren’t just personal injury cases — they’re high-stakes legal battles against powerful companies. At Ben Bowden, PC Trial Lawyer, we’re ready.

  • We know how to handle tough truck cases — and we don’t back down.
  • We keep you informed, involved, and in control every step of the way.
  • We fight for the full compensation you deserve, whether through settlement or trial.

Don’t Let the Insurance or Trucking Companies Get Away With It

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Gulfport or along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, don’t wait. Trucking companies move quickly to protect themselves — you need someone in your corner just as fast.

Call Ben Bowden, PC Trial Lawyer, today to schedule a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, explain your options, and get to work on holding the right people accountable.