Few accidents are as deadly as an encounter with a large truck. In 2017, there were more than 4,000 fatal crashes involving trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. Those fatal crashes resulted in almost 5,000 deaths.
Trucking companies that disregard public safety must be held accountable for their actions. With decades of experience fighting on behalf of clients whose lives have been upended by motor vehicle collisions, our Los Angeles lawyers at Wisner Baum can help you if you’ve suffered serious injuries and losses in a Schneider National truck crash.
Our attorneys have witnessed the devastating consequences of semi-truck accidents and have a proven track record of successfully bringing cases against negligent trucking companies and truck operators. We have represented hundreds of truck crash and car accident victims throughout the United States and have fought against some of the country’s largest transportation companies, including Schneider.
We encourage you to contact our Los Angeles firm at (310) 207-3233 today to explore your legal options. We serve clients in California and nationwide.
A Company Snapshot of Schneider National
Schneider National, Inc. is a transport company providing truckload, intermodal, and logistics services across the US, Canada, Mexico, and China. It is one of the largest trucking companies in the US.
Schneider National was founded in 1935 by Al Schneider. The company has its headquarters in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It hauls more than 19,000 loads per day and has more than 11,500 drivers, 10,000 trucks, and 33,800 trailers. In 2017, Schneider began public trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Its annual operating revenue is approximately $5 billion.
As of January 2020, Schneider had a satisfactory rating with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), although the most recent rating was in 2003. Schneider has a vehicle out-of-service rate of 13.8% (the national average is 20.7%) and a driver out-of-service rate of 0.6% (the national average is 5.5%).
Are Schneider Trucks Safe?
In a two-year period ending December 27, 2019, Schneider had 2,476 driving violations, 527 hours-of-service violations, 4,738 vehicle maintenance violations, 11 drug or alcohol violations, and 61 driver fitness violations.
Among Schneider’s driving violations:
- Speeding
- Unsafe driving
- Driving beyond the 14-hour duty period
- Driving beyond the 8-hour limit
- Driving without a commercial driver’s license
- Driving while not physically qualified
- Driving while disqualified
- Improper vehicle maintenance
- Brakes out of service
In 24 months of crash history, Schneider trucks have been involved in 910 crashes. Of those, 22 were fatal and 275 involved injuries.
Schneider Truck Crashes
Included in Schneider’s history of truck crashes:
- In 2014, a man driving along I-75 near Valdosta, Georgia, crashed into the back of a semi-truck that was experiencing mechanical problems and could only drive between 25 and 30 miles per hour. The semi-truck driver drove away from the scene, and the man remained inside his disabled vehicle. A Schneider semi-truck then collided with the man’s car, killing him.
- In a 2010 crash in Orange County, California, a Schneider truck collided with a car, causing serious injury to a passenger, who was paralyzed and now requires 24-hour care.
Can I File a Lawsuit Against Schneider National?
If you or a family member has been a victim of a Schneider National truck crash, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Truck companies and truck operators have a responsibility to other motorists to operate their commercial vehicles safely and to ensure that they are properly maintained.
Large truck collisions are especially catastrophic when cars are involved, so it is vital that commercial trucks are held to strict safety standards, and that they are held accountable when they violate those rules. Commercial vehicles—which include big rigs, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and cargo vans—can weigh tens of thousands of pounds. Reckless driving, speeding, mechanical failures, and improper vehicle maintenance can cause devastating injuries to other motorists.
Wisner Baum has recovered billions of dollars for our clients, including those harmed by negligent trucking companies and other entities involved in the freight industry. We know that no lawsuit can undo the physical and emotional trauma you and your family suffer following a commercial motor vehicle accident, but a lawsuit can help you obtain justice and hold responsible parties accountable for their actions.
If you or a family member was harmed in a Schneider truck crash, or any commercial motor vehicle accident, contact us today for a no-obligation consultation.
