Work With a Dedicated Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Large commercial trucks, also called “big rigs” or tractor-trailers, are a common sight on America’s highways and are crucial to moving large quantities of goods from one location to another. But whether a truck’s cargo is traveling across the country or across town, a commercial vehicle on the […]
Large commercial trucks, also called “big rigs” or tractor-trailers, are a common sight on America’s highways and are crucial to moving large quantities of goods from one location to another. But whether a truck’s cargo is traveling across the country or across town, a commercial vehicle on the roadway can be a dangerous or even deadly instrument that can cause you and your family significant physical and financial harm.
Each dedicated and compassionate truck accident attorney at Parker Waichman LLP understands and appreciates the devastating consequences that follow when a truck driver does not take care while behind the wheel of a commercial truck. The physical, mental, and emotional pain can be truly devastating, especially considering that these injuries and losses are usually accompanied by astronomical medical bills, a decrease in earnings and earning potential, rehabilitation and therapy costs, funeral expenses, and other financial burdens. While even the best semi-truck accident attorney can’t undo the damage that has been done, at our truck accident law firm, we fight hard to get our clients compensation that can help to make their lives a little bit easier during this trying time.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, call an experienced tractor-trailer accident lawyer at Parker Waichman today for a free consultation to learn about your legal rights and how we can assist you.
Agencies under the supervisory umbrella of the U.S. Department of Transportation, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, all work toward the goal of increasing truck safety through doing research and making policy recommendations, enacting and enforcing regulations governing commercial drivers, and educating members of the general public on how they might remain safe while sharing the road with a truck. These efforts, however, cannot prevent all truck crashes. Consider the following statistics from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) from 2015:
What these statistics and records mean is that truck crashes are on the rise, and with this increase in the number of truck crashes comes an increased risk that you or your loved ones will be hurt or killed.
While many of the same factors, circumstances, and bad decisions that lead to car accidents also cause truck accidents to occur, a car wreck and a truck crash are different in many important regards. Most notably, the sheer size of a truck is much greater than that of the typical passenger car. This alone means that when a truck collides with a passenger car, it’s transferring a much greater amount of energy to the occupants of the passenger car, resulting in more serious and fatal truck injuries. For that reason, while it’s always important to seek medical attention after a motor vehicle crash, it’s even more important after a collision with a commercial truck.
Getting compensation for your losses and injuries after a truck crash may be more complex than simply filing an accident claim with an insurance company or bringing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver. This is because many commercial trucks and the drivers who operate them may be considered to be on the job when a collision occurs. This means that another potentially liable party, the employer and/or owner of the truck or trailer, is involved in many truck accident injury cases. The employer and/or owner of the truck may be liable in whole or in part for the crash, and this must be assessed along with the negligent or careless acts of the driver. Failing to do so can lead to an award that is less than what’s needed to fully address all of your losses and expenses.
Typical expenses that can be recovered through a truck crash lawsuit include:
A skilled truck accident lawyer with Parker Waichman can help ensure that your truck accident lawsuit successfully and fully compensates you for your injuries so you are not required to bear the burden that a truck driver’s careless behavior created.
You only have a short period of time in which to file a lawsuit with the help of a truck accident injury lawyer, as the laws of each state will only permit a truck crash lawsuit to be filed within a certain time period after the crash. A truck accident injury case filed after this period is likely to be dismissed, so it’s crucial to take action swiftly after your truck accident to preserve your ability to receive compensation.
In addition, moving quickly can ensure that important evidence can be found to back up your claim. In truck accident cases, evidence such as maintenance records of the truck, the driver’s personnel file or dashcam footage from the truck can be irretrievably lost if prompt action is not taken to preserve it. Businesses that maintain records as part of their operations will typically have policies under which they routinely archive or destroy records after a certain amount of time, but when you take legal action, preservation orders can be issued to stop these records from being destroyed and ensure that they are available to support your truck crash lawsuit.
Truck crashes and accidents that come about because the truck driver made a careless or reckless decision may lead to a successful truck accident lawsuit. This is because the law permits injury victims to obtain compensation from individuals and/or businesses who harm others through behavior that is careless, negligent, and/or reckless.
Truck driver behaviors that may form the basis for a successful lawsuit include:
A semi-truck accident attorney will guide your case through up to four phases. How long each stage takes can vary widely due to a host of factors, some of which may be out of your attorney’s control.
Evidence regarding your crash is gathered, and witnesses are interviewed to determine if you have a viable claim for compensation. During this phase, your truck accident attorney may file motions with the court to prevent important evidence the truck driver or trucking company may have from being destroyed.
Your lawsuit is filed with the appropriate court, and both you and the truck driver/trucking company have the opportunity to lay out the facts and law(s) you believe entitle you to a judgment in your favor.
You and the other party or parties exchange evidence and depose witnesses the other side intends to use to support their claims at trial. Discovery is designed to help each party prepare their case and encourage the parties to settle their disputes if the evidence and witness testimony suggest that one side will likely prevail at trial.
This is when your case is presented to a judge or jury, who will then return a verdict based upon their evaluation of the facts and consideration of the applicable law. If you prevail at trial, the judge or jury will also decide how much compensation you are owed. A party that loses at trial may have the ability to appeal the decision of the judge or jury to an appellate court if they believe there may have been errors in how the trial was carried out that impacted the outcome.
While retaining a truck crash attorney does not guarantee that your case will be resolved quickly, legal counsel can help keep your case on track and moving at a reasonable pace. At Parker Waichman, our team will work hard to move your case efficiently and expeditiously through the civil justice system without sacrificing your chances of success.
Each year, approximately 500,000 accidents involve at least one large semi-truck. Out of these, roughly 5,000 of them result in a fatality.
The top three factors that can significantly increase the chances of a fatal truck accident are exhaustion, speeding, and alcohol consumption. Though these factors may not cause an accident every single time they are involved, the risk of a fatal accident occurring is made much higher because of them.
Yes, it’s possible to survive being hit by a semi-truck. It’s even possible to walk away without any injuries at all. However, it’s also possible to suffer an injury so severe that it forever alters your life or even leads to your death.
If you are involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you should immediately call 911 for medical assistance. Even if you seem OK, you could have internal injuries or head trauma that lower your chances of survival. You should also be sure to get a copy of the truck driver’s license and registration information, insurance details, and information about the company they work for.
Be very careful about speaking with either the truck driver or company or anyone working on their behalf without having your own attorney present. Even seemingly innocent requests, such as a request to have you write down or recite your memory of the crash, may be used to limit or defeat your claim for compensation later. Your attorney can help protect you from these tactics and respond appropriately to legitimate requests from the other parties involved.
Yes. If you have been injured after being struck by an 18-wheeler due to the driver’s negligence or carelessness, you may have the opportunity for legal action. More than likely, the best route for you to take in pursuing legal action would be to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Yes. If you’re involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you can potentially sue both the driver of the truck and the company that they work for. In certain circumstances, you may even be able to sue the company that hired the trucking company to deliver their product.
Each state has a specific deadline (otherwise known as the statute of limitations) that establishes the timeframe within which a truck crash lawsuit needs to be filed. Some states may only give injury victims one or two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit, while other states may allow more time. Speak with an attorney at Parker Waichman right away and one of our skilled attorneys can calculate the statute of limitations that will apply in your case.
It’s possible for a case involving a semi-truck accident to proceed to trial, but more often than not, it doesn’t. Most semi-truck accident lawsuits are resolved with a settlement agreement and therefore have no need to proceed to the trial phase.
Yes. In cases where the truck driver is clearly at fault, the driver (or their company or representatives) may attempt to approach you and offer you immediate compensation if you promise not to file a truck crash lawsuit. You should be wary of such offers, as the compensation offered may not be sufficient to address all of the expenses you are likely to incur and the maximum settlement you are entitled to. It’s generally advisable to speak with your attorney about settlement offers before you accept or reject them so that you fully understand the pros and cons.
Filing and prosecuting a truck crash lawsuit takes a considerable amount of legal knowledge and persuasive abilities. Whether researching case law and statutes or clearly explaining how a truck driver’s decision led to your injuries and accidents, Parker Waichman’s legal team can give you a significant advantage in your truck crash lawsuit. Our truck accident lawyers are intimately familiar with the laws applicable in these cases and are skilled in protecting your rights in and out of the courtroom. We file legal motions, locate and preserve evidence, comply with legitimate discovery requests, and present our clients’ cases with care and professionalism, taking on these burdens so our clients can focus on their recovery.
Yes, truck drivers are subject to federal regulations that limit the amount of time they can spend driving in a given period. These regulations are designed to prevent truck driver fatigue, which can lead to accidents.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the hours-of-service (HOS) regulations that govern how long truck drivers can spend driving and work. These regulations include:
It’s important to note that some states may have additional or more stringent regulations on truck driver hours-of-service. Additionally, trucking companies and drivers are required to maintain accurate records of their hours worked, which can be used to enforce the HOS regulations. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, an experienced truck accident attorney can help determine if the driver and/or the trucking company violated HOS regulations and pursue a claim for compensation on your behalf.
Unfortunately, some trucking companies do pressure their drivers to bend the law in order to meet delivery deadlines or otherwise increase profits. This can include asking drivers to exceed the hours-of-service regulations or overlook certain safety violations, such as truck maintenance or overweight loads.
This pressure can come in a variety of forms, including financial incentives, threats of job loss or reduced hours, or other forms of coercion. Some drivers may also feel pressure to bend the rules in order to keep their jobs or meet the expectations of their employers.
However, it’s important to note that not all trucking companies engage in these practices. Many companies prioritize safety and compliance with federal regulations and work to ensure that their drivers have the resources and support they need to do their jobs safely and legally.
If you were involved in a truck accident and believe that the trucking company or driver was negligent, an experienced truck accident attorney can help investigate the circumstances of the accident and determine if any safety violations or other forms of negligence played a role.
There are several factors that can contribute to truck accidents, but some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
It’s important to note that truck accidents can involve multiple causes, and determining the cause or causes of an accident may require a thorough investigation. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, it’s important to contact an experienced truck accident attorney who can investigate the accident and help you pursue a claim for compensation.
There are several types of trucking accidents that occur in the United States, but some of the most common types include:
These are just a few examples of the types of trucking accidents that can occur in the United States. When you or a loved one are harmed in a trucking accident, it’s important to contact an experienced truck accident attorney who can help you understand your legal options and pursue a claim for compensation.
Truck accidents involving 18-wheelers can cause a wide range of injuries, from mild to severe. Here are some of the common types of injuries that people may sustain in a truck accident:
It’s important to seek medical attention after a truck accident, even if you feel fine. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent, and prompt medical attention can help prevent complications and ensure that you receive the appropriate treatment.
The amount of insurance coverage that an 18-wheeler truck is required to have can vary depending on the state where the truck is registered and the type of cargo the truck is carrying. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets minimum insurance requirements for commercial motor vehicles, including 18-wheelers, that operate across state lines.
The minimum required insurance coverage for commercial motor vehicles is as follows:
It’s important to note that these are minimum coverage requirements, and many trucking companies may carry higher levels of insurance coverage. In addition, some states may have higher minimum insurance requirements than the federal minimum. It’s also possible that multiple insurance policies may be in effect for a particular truck, such as a primary policy and a secondary or umbrella policy.
If you’re involved in a truck accident, your attorney can help you determine the insurance coverage available and pursue a claim for maximum compensation.
After an injury in an 18-wheeler truck accident, there are different types of economic and non-economic damages that may be pursued in a personal injury claim or lawsuit. These damages are designed to compensate the victim for the losses and expenses resulting from the accident. Some of the most common damages that may be pursued after an 18-wheeler truck accident include:
The specific damages that can be pursued in a truck accident case will depend on the circumstances of the truck accident and the extent of the victim’s injuries and losses. It’s important to work with an experienced truck accident attorney who can help assess the damages and build a strong case for maximum compensation.
If you or a loved one have been harmed in a truck accident, it’s important to seek the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer. Here are the top five reasons why retaining a truck accident attorneys is beneficial to your claim:
Overall, a truck accident lawyer can provide invaluable legal guidance and support throughout the process, ensuring that you have the best chance of receiving fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
If you’ were involved in a truck accident and need legal representation, it’s important to choose the right truck accident attorney. Here are some steps to help you find the best truck accident attorney for your case:
Overall, it’s important to choose a truck accident attorney who has the experience, a good reputation, good communication skills, resources, and a fee structure that works for you. By following these steps, you can find the best attorney to represent you in your truck accident case.
Parker Waichman LLP is a law firm that specializes in personal injury cases, including truck accident cases. These are the top five reasons why you should choose Parker Waichman LLP for your truck accident case:
If you or a loved one have been harmed in a truck accident and need legal representation, Parker Waichman LLP is a law firm that can provide you with the experience, resources, and personalized service that you need to obtain maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.
Yes, Parker Waichman LLP has won several awards and recognitions for its work in personal injury law, including truck accident cases. Here are some of the awards and recognitions that the firm has received:
These awards and recognitions demonstrate the firm’s commitment to providing high-quality legal representation to their clients in personal injury cases, including truck accident cases.
When you work with our nationwide firm, a commercial truck accident lawyer near you can handle your truck accident case with skill and persistence. From the moment we take your case, your semi-truck accident lawyer will devote extensive resources to gathering and preserving the testimony of witnesses and evidence you will need for your case to be successful. Parker Waichman attorneys have collected more than $2 billion in monetary damages for our clients through zealous advocacy in and out of the courtroom. Our firm’s successes and commitment to our clients have also earned us numerous accolades from our peers and clients alike.
A truck crash in any state and under any circumstances is a tragedy that can affect your life and the lives of your loved ones for years to come. You may face hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expenses as a result, not to mention the devastating effects on your mental health and quality of life. At Parker Waichman, our experienced legal team can help alleviate some of these stresses by prosecuting a truck crash injury claim on your behalf so you can focus on what truly matters: your health, your family, and your future.
The amount of time you have to file a legal claim is limited by law, so don’t delay: Act quickly to preserve your rights by getting in touch with a Parker Waichman truck accident attorney near you. When you get a free consultation with our caring and dedicated legal team, we will review the facts and circumstances of your truck crash case and help you understand the steps you can take next. We’ll advise you on the best course of action, and if we believe that you should pursue a truck injury lawsuit, we’ll help you move forward with your claim.
At Parker Waichman, we fight hard to ensure that accident victims get the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Call us today at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) or fill out our online form to get a free consultation on your truck crash case from experienced semi-truck accident lawyers near you.