18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers in Lafayette

Providing Valuable Legal Help to Truck Accident Victims Pursuing Financial Compensation

The U.S. relies upon the commercial trucking industry for its economy and basic day-to-day way of life. This multibillion-dollar industry employs more than eight million people, many of whom make their homes in Louisiana. But while big rigs are vitally important to the country and its people, semi-trucks are also inherently dangerous to all others who share the roads with them, thanks in no small part to their sheer size and weight.

Most semi-truck accidents result in serious injuries, and many prove to be deadly. If you have recently suffered an injury in a big rig accident or lost a loved one in a wrongful death following a semi-truck accident, you deserve the chance to pursue justice and seek compensation. However, this is sometimes easier said than done, especially in truck accident cases involving commercial trucking companies.

Commercial truck accident cases are inherently more complex than the majority of other motor vehicle accident cases. There are a number of reasons why, not least of all being that the severity of the injuries and serious damages that arise from large truck accidents often mean more costly medical care and, thus, a larger settlement. But there are other reasons, including the teams of lawyers that sometimes represent truck drivers and their trucking company employers. It is difficult, if near impossible, to bring a personal injury lawsuit against a commercial truck company while recovering from serious injuries or grieving the loss of a loved one.

But don’t be dismayed. Help is available.

 What Are Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents?

Many unique factors may figure into why a semi-truck accident occurred. The majority of the causes for semi-truck accidents are similar to those of most other motor vehicle wrecks. However, because of the size and role of tractor-trailers, there may be additional causes as well.

Common causes of 18-wheeler accidents include the following:

• Aggressive driving.
• Blind spots.
• Brake failure.
• Dangerous weather conditions.
• Defective vehicles and vehicle parts.
• Disobeying the rules of the road.
• Distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue and drowsy driving.
• Driving over the speed limit.
• Driving through stop signs and red lights.
• Drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs.
• Failure to obey traffic lights and traffic signs.
• Improperly secured cargo in the tractor-trailer.
• Inadequate training for the truck driver.
• Negligent maintenance and truck defects.
• Not paying attention behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
• Road debris and road disrepair.
• Tailgating.
• Talking on the cell phone while driving.
• Texting while driving.
• Truck safety violations.
• Unsafe lane changes.

What Types of Injury Are Commonly Seen in a Commercial Truck Accident?

Minor injuries are uncommon in accidents involving big trucks. The majority of injuries seen in large truck accidents are severe and sometimes deadly.

Common semi-truck accident injuries include the following:

• Amputations and loss of limbs.
• Back and neck injuries.
• Broken bones and bone fractures.
• Burns.
• Catastrophic injuries.
• Concussions.
• Crushing injuries.
• Hearing loss.
• Loss of sight.
• Paralysis.
• Soft tissue injuries like deep cuts, lacerations, bruising, and torn ligaments.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Whiplash
• Wrongful death.

What Types of Large Truck Crashes Does Our Personal Injury Law Firm Represent?

Our personal injury law firm represents a variety of cases involving semi-truck crashes and other vehicles involved in such trucking accidents. Truck traffic is a necessity for keeping the economy moving, but other drivers must be aware of the dangers inherent in sharing the roads with other vehicles much larger and heavier than their own. In accidents with large trucks, the truck occupants are rarely those who suffer serious injuries or fatal injuries. More often, the most catastrophic injuries are suffered by the drivers of other cars involved in accidents with big rigs.

Cases our law firm represents include the following:

• Drunk driving accidents.
• Head-on collisions.
• Highway accidents.
• Jackknife accidents.
• Rear-end collisions.
• Semi-truck rollovers.
• Sideswipe accidents.
• T-bone accidents (also known as broadside collisions or side impact crashes).
• Wide right-hand turn accidents.
• And more.

Why Are Accidents Involving Commercial Trucks Inherently More Complex Than Most Accidents Involving Passenger Vehicles?

Accidents involving large commercial trucks are often more dangerous and result in higher rates of fatalities than other accidents involving vehicles designed expressly for passenger use. Because of this, there will often be more costly medical treatment required for survivors of semi-truck crashes. The more costly the medical care required, the more you will be necessary to demand full compensation in your personal injury case. Therefore, the more expensive the settlement, the more likely that insurance companies and liable parties are to fight against such settlements.

But it doesn’t end there. Accidents involving commercial trucks are likely to have more potentially liable parties than most other car accidents. In addition to the truck driver, whose driver negligence might have been the cause of the accident, the commercial truck company may also be held liable. Additionally, vehicle manufacturers, auto repair shops, cargo loading companies, government entities, and other drivers could also be held liable in a semi-truck accident case.

Because of all of the potentially liable parties, the high settlement amounts, the teams of lawyers representing the defense, and the interests of insurance providers, it is very difficult to pursue a truck accident lawsuit on one’s own. It is absolutely vital that, if you wish to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses, you retain professional legal counsel from experienced Lafayette truck accident lawyers.

Our truck accident attorneys would be proud to provide valuable legal guidance throughout the complex legal process in pursuit of justice and financial compensation. To learn more about the benefits of retaining professional legal representation, please contact our Lafayette law office to schedule your free initial consultation today.

How to Prove Truck Driver Negligence?

Every driver, whether they are a passenger motorist or a commercial truck driver, owes a certain duty of care to other motorists on the road. If they fail to uphold this duty of care, they could be held legally negligent for any injuries and associated damages that result from an accident.

Determining liability is essential to all truck accident cases. As your legal representation, we will fight to support your claim by gathering evidence like police reports, medical records, motor vehicle accident reconstructionist testimonies, eyewitness testimonies, and more.

Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys has an exemplary track record of success fighting for our clients in auto accident cases. To discuss the unique facts of your case in more detail, please contact our Lafayette law office to schedule your free consultation today.

Are Truck Drivers the Only Liable Parties in a Commercial Truck Accident?

Commercial truck drivers are not the only parties who may be held liable for damages in a tractor-trailer accident case.

The potentially liable parties include the following:

• And potentially the truck accident victims themselves.
• Cargo loaders.
• Government entities.
• Other drivers on the road.
• Pedestrians.
• The commercial trucking company.
• Truck manufacturers.
• The owners of the trucks.
• The truck driver.

What if You Are Partially to Blame for Causing the Commercial Trucking Accident in Louisiana?

It is possible for more than one party to carry some of the negligence for causing an auto accident. In Louisiana, we call this comparative fault (or comparative negligence).

Louisiana is a pure comparative fault state.  That means that so long as you are not 100% to blame for causing the accident, you stand the chance of recovering a portion of compensation to help pay for medical bills, property damage, and other expenses that arose as a direct result of the large truck accident.

If the facts show that you were 30% at fault (for example), then you should expect to see your maximum compensation reduced by that 30%. As your personal injury attorneys, our highly skilled legal team will endeavor to approve that the facts support your claim so that you can recover a full settlement for your injuries.

Can Truck Accident Attorneys Help You Recover Fair Compensation Following 18-Wheeler Accidents?

As your personal injury lawyers, our aim is to establish negligence on the part of the at-fault party (or parties) and help you recover compensation for your injuries and other losses. While no financial recovery can ever reverse the damage done, the hope is that the compensation will help make you ‘whole’ again, at least from a financial standpoint.

If successful in the pursuit of a financial settlement offer, you may recover both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages can help compensate you for the following:

• Funeral costs, memorial costs, and burial expenses in the event of a large truck accident fatality.
• Lost wages and lost income earning capacity (if the injury has robbed you of your ability to return to your line of work).
• Property damage (for expenses like motor vehicle repairs, damage to personal property, and more).
• Past medical bills (for things like emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, surgery, and more) and future medical expenses.
• Physical therapy bills and rehabilitation costs.

Non-economic damages may include the following:

• Disfigurement, dismemberment, or disability.
• Emotional distress.
• Loss of companionship or consortium.
• Lost quality of life or enjoyment of life.
• Mental anguish.
• Pain and suffering.
• Wrongful death.

In certain cases of wanton neglect, maliciousness, or recklessness, it may also be possible to pursue punitive damages for your personal injury claim. To learn more about punitive damages, please contact our personal injury law offices to speak with our legal team.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Experienced Attorneys Today

Our Attorneys have years of experience serving injured clients and their loved ones throughout Louisiana. At our law offices, we take great pride in providing compassionate and empathetic legal services to each and every one of our clients. No two cases are ever exactly alike, so we will tailor our legal representation to meet your legal needs while assisting you in your pursuit of financial recovery.

Our law firm offers a free case review to all prospective new clients. To learn more about our legal services or to have your difficult questions answered by an experienced attorney, please contact our Lafayette, LA, law office to schedule your free consultation today. 337-242-7604.