Truck Accident Lawyer Pearland TX
Each Pearland, TX truck accident lawyer from our firm knows just how devastating commercial truck accidents can be. Many victims suffer catastrophic injuries due to the massive size and weight of these vehicles. A lot of these victims – approximately 5,000 people each year – do not survive their injuries. To discuss your case, reach out to Keith B. French Law, PLLC today.
Truck accident cases are often more complex because there is usually more than one liable party, as well as other factors that come into play. This is why victims should always consult with a seasoned truck accident lawyer before speaking with anyone from the trucking company or its insurance company.
When Are Truck Accidents Legally Actionable?
If you’re unsure of whether or not your case is legally actionable, know that a skilled Pearland, TX truck accident lawyer at Keith B. French Law, PLLC can clarify your rights and options for you. If you’re unsure of how strong or weak your potential claim is, don’t be embarrassed. This is both normal and understandable. Most people don’t spend their lives analyzing the details of crash scenarios, so they aren’t always sure where they stand when they’re involved in one. It’s our job to understand how the law applies to circumstance and we’d be honored to assist you in this way.
Although every truck accident is unique – and it is, therefore, difficult to speak about crash cases broadly with any great accuracy – there are some general rules of thumb that apply to the actionability of collision cases. Most of the time, a crash is legally actionable if the cause(s) of the accident could have been prevented, had one or more parties refrained from acting in negligent, reckless, or intentionally dangerous ways. Phrased differently, if another’s actions or inactions directly caused your harm, you likely have cause upon which to file legal action.
Work-Related Accidents: Special Considerations
If you were engaged in work-related activities at the time of your collision, it’s important to alert the Pearland truck accident lawyer assigned to your case to this fact as soon as you possibly can. In addition to personal injury damages, you may also be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. It’s important to communicate this potential to our firm right away because the workers’ compensation application process is extremely time sensitive. If you wait even one day too long to start this process, you may be barred from receiving compensation that would otherwise be rightfully yours.
Why Truck Accident Cases Are Usually Very Complex
One of the primary reasons why it is so important to allow the reputable legal professionals at Keith B. French Law, PLLC to advocate on your behalf is that truck accident cases are almost always more complicated than an average motor vehicle accident case. An average crash case involves two motorists of light vehicles that have collided with one another. The interested parties are, usually, the drivers and their insurance companies. There are usually far more players involved in truck accident cases, including the driver’s employer. Additionally, if any defective truck parts, unsafe freight, and/or poorly maintained roads played a role in your collision, you may need to deal with the entities responsible for those factors as well.
Truck companies usually have large legal teams at their disposal to minimize a particular company’s liability as well as the driver’s liability. As a result, a truck accident scenario is one legal situation that you won’t want to “DIY.” Instead, allow an experienced and skilled Pearland truck accident lawyer to navigate the complexities of your situation on your behalf so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
What Are the Most Frequent Causes of Truck Accidents
Although truck accidents can occur for a number of reasons, at our truck accident law firm, there are several common causes that seem to show up in case after case that each Pearland truck accident lawyer handles. These include:
- Fatigued truck driver – The federal government has restrictions on how many consecutive hours a truck driver can operate their vehicles. Even with these rules in place, many truck drivers are pressured by trucking companies to meet unrealistic delivery schedules. This means they ignore those hours of service rules and keep driving, leading to drowsy truck drivers behind the wheel.
- Distracted truck driver – Any driver can become distracted and that is no different for commercial truck drivers. Whether it is looking at their phone, fiddling with the radio or GPS, or drinking coffee, distracted driving truck accidents can be dangerous.
- The truck driver ignoring speed limits – In their rush to get to their destination – or get home after days on the road – many truck drivers ignore posted speed limits. A speeding truck smashing into a passenger vehicle is deadly.
- Overweight, unsecured, or improperly loaded cargo – There are weight limits to how much cargo a truck can transport. Unfortunately, many companies try to skirt those regulations. If any cargo has not been secured properly or loaded incorrectly, this can lead to cargo falling off the truck and onto vehicles or on the road in the direct path of a vehicle. Cargo issues can also cause the truck driver to lose control of the truck, again resulting in fatal consequences.
Regardless of how the truck driver was at fault, a truck accident lawyer can help victims pursue a case against the trucking company and any other parties your lawyer concludes has liability for your injuries.
Understanding More About Texas Truck Accidents
After any truck accident, regardless of who is at fault, the person behind the wheel of the car is likely going to be the one who is more physically damaged. It can be terrifying to be in an accident with a truck but it can mean even more recovery time for the driver of the car. While things can seem muddy and distorted following a truck accident, you may be wondering what will happen if you are partially at fault. In fact, it is extremely common in any type of vehicle accident for both parties involved to share some amount of fault. What can you do when this happens?
Learning How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help Your Case
When it comes to learning more about the accident and who is at fault, your lawyer can help.
- Your lawyer will get the facts. Your lawyer will want to understand exactly what happened and what led up to the accident. They will want to know what the weather conditions were like when you were on the road, how many people were involved in the accident, and they will want to know the truck driver’s history. Be prepared to go into detail with your lawyer (and only your lawyer) about everything that happened prior to the accident.
- Your lawyer will want to get eyewitness information. If there was anyone who witnessed the accident, this will be crucial to your truck accident claim. An eyewitness may be able to easily point out how they saw the accident occur and this can make the difference in the amount of compensation you get. Your lawyer will want to get contact information from the witness so that they can interview them.
- Your lawyer will want to know liability. The most important thing to come out of any vehicle accident case is going to be liability. Was the truck driver solely responsible for the truck accident occurring? Did you have any part in the truck accident happening? Your lawyer understands that even if you were partially responsible for the truck accident occurring, you can still receive compensation of up to 50% when it comes to recovering damages.
- Your lawyer knows there may be more than one party at fault. It is possible that the extent of the liability for the truck accident goes beyond just the truck driver. Your lawyer will also look into different parties who may be liable, including a parts manufacturer, the trucking company, the people who loaded the cargo into the truck, etc.
Get Help From a Lawyer You Can Trust Today
After being seriously injured in a truck accident, it is imperative that you get the legal representation that will help you get the compensation you deserve. You should not be concerned that you will not be able to pay your medical bills, car repair bills, or other damages related to your truck accident. If you would like to learn the other ways that a truck accident lawyer can help you with your claim, please reach out to our law firm for more information.
Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you may be facing a long recovery and rehabilitation, depending on the extent of your injuries. A seasoned Pearland truck accident lawyer can help get you the financial compensation you deserve for the medical expenses your injuries have caused, lost income if you have been unable to work, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, permanent disability, and more. Call Keith B. French Law, PLLC to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help.
