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American roadways are clogged with vehicles of all sorts, making driving a dangerous proposition under any circumstance. However, with approximately 8 million heavy trucks, including around three-and-a-half million tractor trailer trucks, sharing the roadways with smaller passenger vehicles, the risk of catastrophic accidents increases dramatically. According to the statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through 2001, there was an average of 200,000 truck accidents in the United States each year. However, in 2002, this number more than doubled to approximately 435,000. Of these crashes, more than 4,500 resulted in the death of one or more people. Truck Driver Negligence According to Ralph Craft, Ph.D., a senior transportation specialist with the U.S. Department of Transportation, some statistics regarding large truck accidents can be highly misleading. For example, in 1996, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that "In 71 pe

Compensatory damages are awarded after a lawsuit to victims to compensate them for past, present, and future monetary losses as well as pain and suffering. Learn more about compensatory damages, including common compensatory awards and who may file for compensatory damages. What Kind of Compensation Can Victims Expect? Compensatory damages are awarded in an attempt to minimize the effects of a personal injury upon the victim and his or her family. In the event of a personal injury claim, victims may experience physical and emotional trauma which is only compacted by the financial stress of mounting bills and lost wages. With the assistance of a qualified lawyer, personal injury victims may collect compensatory damages for both their physical/psychological injuries as well as for financial losses. Some common reasons for which compensatory damages may be awarded include: Medical bills Property damage Pain and suffering Disability Disfigurement Mental anguish Lost wages

This article features some interesting auto accident statistics collected by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA): Causes of Auto Accidents More than 39 percent of all traffic fatalities each year are attributed to alcohol use. Even if a driver was close to the legal limit when given a breathalyzer test after an accident, driving functions were probably impaired by consuming alcohol. Almost half of intoxicated drivers involved in fatal auto accidents were also speeding. Outside distractions (events that happen outside the car that distract the driver's attention) contribute to up to 30 percent of auto accidents. About one-third of all fatal auto accidents occur when at least one of the drivers involved was driving above the posted speed limit or too fast for road conditions. Two-thirds of drivers over the age of 50 reported using prescribed or over-the-counter medications that are known to impair driving. Dozens of prescription drugs list such si