Truck Accident Law Firm

Guide to Truck Accident Law Firms

What is a Truck Accident Law Firm?

A truck accident law firm is usually made up of personal injury lawyers that specialized in different kinds of personal injury. A truck accident law firm may either choose to defend a truck driver or the driver of another vehicle involved in the accident. However, a great majority of truck accident law firms help the victims of a truck accident and not the truck drivers.

Truck drivers are usually represented by their insurance companies and the business for which they are employed. However, if an insurance company or business refuses to represent their truck driver because they were involved in an accident off of company time, a truck accident law firm may choose to represent them in a case involving the other victim and another case against the company or insurance company as well.

How can I find a Truck Accident Law Firm?

The victim of a truck accident can use several very helpful resources for find a highly qualified and successful truck accident lawyer in their area. Victims of truck accidents are encouraged to contact a truck accident law firm as soon as possible, and the following resources will help a victim find a lawyer quickly:

The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America

This website is one of the best resources on the internet for information about truck accident laws and information on finding truck accident lawyers. The website is used by both clients and lawyers, and clients can click on the “Find Our Members” tab on the homepage to find lawyers in their area.

National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers

This website can help you locate truck accident lawyers in your specific state and throughout the entire country. The resource provides services to legal professional and clients in the United States and Canada as well.

The National Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association

If you have a family member that has been involved in a serious truck accident, you should highly consider using this resource. Since a victim is unlikely to file a lawsuit if they have sustained serious injuries, the website supplies resources to help a family member find a lawyer or other helpful resources, including:

• Brain Injury Association of America

• National Safety Council

• Brain Injury law Center

• Centre for Neuro Skills

Laws-Info.com

If you need to find a truck accident law firm quickly, you should highly consider the tools available to you on this website. Every advertisement you see for truck accident lawyers within this article and similar articles you have read are specifically tailored to your interests and needs. The website uses an innovative algorithm to match the potential client’s needs with the unique services of certain lawyers around the client’s geographic location.

What can a firm help me with?

Depending on the severity of the accident and the actions of the truck driver, a lawyer will be able to help you obtain compensatory damages for your property and medical expenses. If you have suffered significant injuries and/or a disability or mental condition because of the accident, a truck accident can likely obtain pain and suffering payments from the truck driver’s insurance company.

Punitive damages are very difficult to receive in a truck accident case because the truck driver was not likely trying to put you in danger. However, very specialized and experienced truck accident law firms and lawyers can obtain punitive damages if there were drugs and alcohol involved, as well as evidence of texting or using a cell phone in some cases.

Your truck accident law firm will most likely research Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations which cover Federal Trucking Regulations. Sections 382 through Section 399 cover all trucking regulations, and your lawyer will likely discuss all of these laws with you. There are major areas of concerns your truck accident law firm will address as well. These issues are explained below, and be sure to bring up any of these issues at a consultation with your truck accident law firm:

Hours of Operation and Driver Fatigue

According to some studies, fatigue is responsible for up to 40% of all truck accidents. A company can force a driver to work up to 11 hours a day and 77 hours a week. The same company can give the truck driver a minimum weekend of 34 hours and force them to return to work. Your lawyer will undoubtedly look into how many hours the truck driver was operating at the time of the accident.

In some cases, long distance drivers may omit hours from their log books. If a lawyer can prove a truck driver falsified information, the lawyer will have a very strong case.

Size and Weight

If a truck exceeds federal limits and doesn’t have enough time to stop, a lawyer will likely use this evidence within the case. Some companies will allow a truck driver to exceed federal limits while accepting a minor fine, but if a lawyer can prove the truck was too heavy at the time of the accident, the company and truck driver may suffer serious consequences.

Licensing Fraud

Licensing fraud within the trucking industry has been officially discovered in 24 states and may occur in as many as 40 states. If a truck driver is proven to have obtained their professional license through a fraudulent company, such as one that targets immigrants, the truck driver can suffer serious consequences within a truck accident case.

Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use

If a truck accident law firm can prove the truck driver was using illegal drugs or alcohol while operating the vehicle, the truck driver will undoubtedly lose their CDL privileges and face charges from both the trucking company and victim.

Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance

If a truck malfunctioned and caused an accident, a truck accident law firm may have trouble seeking any other compensation except for medical and property reimbursement. However, if the truck is proved to be unregistered or have an expired inspection at the time of the accident, a client’s lawyer can prove the company and driver acted negligently.