Truck Accident Lawyers

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), there were approximately 13,479,382 registered trucks in the U.S. in 2020. Every day, thousands of these trucks travel across states all over the U.S. to transport consumer goods and other items. With many weighing over 80,000 pounds (or 40 tons), collisions with cars that weigh only roughly 3,000 pounds can be disastrous.

Accidents between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks are usually catastrophic and often result in death. These wrecks are typically complex since they may involve several liable parties and various insurance companies.

Truck accidents, including those involving semis, 18-wheelers, rental trucks, and dump trucks, typically involve higher potential damages. The variety of factors that come into play with truck accidents means that every truck wreck case is unique. This is why you should speak to an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.

Over the past four decades, the catastrophic injury attorneys at Nix Patterson have been helping truck wreck victims recover the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers have witnessed the devastation these accidents can cause to injured victims and their loved ones. We are prepared to aggressively push for the maximum compensation that covers all your expenses and future needs.

Types of Truck Accidents

Any type of truck accident can be extremely dangerous because the commercial vehicle is much larger than your car. The most common type of truck accident is A rear-end collision when the truck strikes you from behind. It takes a considerable amount of time and distance for the truck driver to come to a complete stop, and even a split second delay can cause a serious accident.

Other types of truck accidents include:

• Rollover accidents: A sudden braking or the lack of centering gravity can cause the truck to rollover, striking cars in the way or causing vehicles to run into the truck
• Jackknife crashes: The cab and the trailer could end up at different angles, causing the tractor to swing out and hit other cars on the road
• Blindspot accidents
• Illegal turns
• Cargo falling off the truck

No matter the type of truck accident,you may be entitled to financial compensation when you prove that the truck driver was negligent.

Causes of Truck Accidents

In 2019, 5,005 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks. Around 71% (3,544) of the people killed in these truck collisions were occupants of other vehicles. During the same year, an estimated 159,000 people were injured in accidents involving large trucks.

In general, the truck driver is under a significant amount of pressure to make deliveries on time. They may not pay full attention to safety because their own bosses and the customer place them under time constraints. At the same time, truck drivers may not be fully trained or have the experience necessary to focus on safety. The end result is that trucking companies end up cutting corners, and it comes at the expense of your safety. You may have nothing to do with the trucking Company’s profit motive, but you are the one who ends up paying the price with your well-being.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a report after analyzing hundreds of factors that led to truck wrecks. According to the FMCSA, brake problems and traffic flow interruptions were the leading causes of large truck accidents.

Other causes of truck wrecks include:

• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving, particularly texting while driving
• Alcohol and drugs
• Roadway problems
• Reckless driving
• Inexperience
• Improper cargo loading
• Speeding
• Poor training and maintenance
• Aggressive driving

After an accident, a good truck accident lawyer can help you identify what led to your crash. An attorney can gather and analyze evidence, including the truck’s black box data and phone call records, to identify the cause of the accident while you and your family focus on recovery and healing.

Truck Drivers and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

There is an extensive body of federal regulations that trucking companies must follow as a condition for doing business. These regulations govern practically every aspect of the trucking company’s business. Trucking companies could be fined if they are subject to an inspection and are found not to have followed the rules.

From your standpoint, you may be able to prove negligence when you can show that the trucking company broke one of the rules. In personal injury law, there is a concept called negligence per se that holds that a specific act can be negligent by the mere fact that it happened. This principle applies when the wrongful act that caused a truck accident was in violation of the law.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

Here are the steps to follow if you are involved in a collision:

• Call the police
• Seek immediate medical attention
• Gather information from all parties involved, including their names, addresses, and license numbers
• Take pictures and videos of the scene
• Write down the contact information of any eyewitnesses
• Do not take responsibility for the crash
• Hire a truck wreck lawyer

Of course, you can always call us for guidance through this process after you have called the police and received medical attention.

What to Do in the Days Following a Truck Accident

The actions you take in the days and weeks following an accident can significantly affect your claim. Here’s what you should do or what we will help you do when you call us:

• Get a police report of your crash
• Get your vehicle appraised
• Keep track of all your medical treatments and doctor visits
• Track all your out-of-pocket expenses
• Keep track of all your missed work days
• Keep a journal of how you feel or your experiences, like if you are having trouble sleeping or if you are having panic attacks after the incident
• Do not post about the incident on social media
• Do not talk to the other drivers’ insurance companies
• Do not accept an offer without talking to a truck accident lawyer

It is essential that you avoid any mistakes that can harm your claim, and hiring a truck accident lawyer is the best way to avoid a critical error.

How Are Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?

Commercial truck wrecks differ from car wrecks in various ways. First, not only does a truck weigh roughly 20 times as much as a passenger car, but federal and state governments also require trucks to follow stricter rules. For example, according to hours of service regulations, property-carrying truck drivers may drive for a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours of rest. This safety rule is meant to prevent tired drivers from operating these potentially deadly trucks on open roads.

Here are other ways these two types of accidents differ:

• Injuries are usually more severe in truck accidents
• Insurance policies are larger for the commercial trucking industry
• Multiple parties may be liable, including the truck driver, the cargo loading company, the truck owner, parts manufacturers, and the maintenance crew
• There is a likelihood of higher damages

The fact that a commercial truck far outweighs a passenger vehicle means that a significant amount of force will be unleashed on your car in a truck accident.  The sheer size of the truck makes it much more difficult for the operator to stop the vehicle in time. Then, the weight disparity between the truck and your car means that all of the force will be transferred to you.

Then, the legal process may also be different in a truck accident. While the operative principle of negligence still applies to your case, you can expect a far more difficult time getting the money that you deserve because your compensation would likely be higher. The size of your settlement is tied to your injuries, and the insurance company does not want to fully pay you.

How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help?

Every truck accident case is different. This is why you need an experienced semi-truck accident lawyer to build a compelling case to present to the insurance carrier or a jury in court. You can expect a reputable truck accident law firm to:

• Investigate and collect evidence, including police reports, black box data, expert testimony, eyewitness statements, and photographic evidence from the scene.
• Compile your medical records and expenses to prove your losses.
• Hire medical experts to determine what your healthcare needs will be in the future.
• Identify all liable parties in your truck wreck case.
• Send demand letters to the at-fault party’s insurance companies.
• Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
• File a lawsuit for you but continue efforts to negotiate a settlement.
• Take the case to trial if need be.

At Nix Patterson, our attorneys can handle all of this for you, and we will advance all the costs on your behalf. We will regularly update you regarding your case as we handle all paperwork.

How Much Compensation Can I Get After a Truck Wreck?

Though full compensation is never guaranteed, truck accidents are often more severe than passenger car accidents, resulting in higher damages. If you or your loved one has been hurt in a trucking wreck caused by another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages that include:

• Past and future medical bills for medication, hospitalization, therapy, surgery, etc.
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Mental anguish
• Loss of quality of life
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement and permanent scarring
• Wrongful death benefits

In extreme circumstances, you may be eligible for punitive damages. These damages are meant to punish the defendant if the court deems their conduct intentional or grossly negligent.

Before you can file a truck accident claim or lawsuit, you need to know the exact value of your damages. Your truck accident attorney can study your circumstances and work with expert witnesses as necessary to quantify your damages. If you do not know how much your case is worth, there is an extremely high chance that you would settle it for far less than you could have otherwise gotten if you had this information.

In the end, it is up to you to maximize the amount of compensation that you receive after a truck accident. The insurance company is not going to simply put the money into your hands without making you fight for it. Hiring a truck accident lawyer is the most effective way to put the maximum amount of pressure on the insurance company to do the right thing.

Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney for Legal Representation

If you or someone you care about has sustained injuries or died in a truck crash, you may be eligible for compensation. You don’t have to face the financial, emotional, and physical burden of an accident alone. An attorney with a wealth of experience in personal injury cases can investigate your truck accident case, build a strategy for you, and handle settlement talks or a trial on your behalf.

That’s where Nix Patterson comes in. Our legal team is ready to protect your rights and interests. Contact us today to discuss your truck accident case. The initial consultation is free. And we only get paid if we win.