WALTHAM TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

Involvement in a vehicle accident is never a positive experience, but it can be even worse if your collision is with a commercial semi-truck. Semi-trucks are extremely heavy, large vehicles that cause significant wreckage in a crash. Individuals in an accident involving a semi-truck may suffer significant or fatal injuries. 

People with severe injuries from semi-truck accidents often face months or years of recovery. In the worst cases, their wounds are permanent and result in long-term disability or disfigurement.

When faced with such severe injuries, individuals often attempt to collect monetary compensation for their medical expenses. However, insurance providers are often reluctant to give victims a fair settlement amount that covers their financial losses. Instead, they offer low settlements in hopes that the victim will accept them and move on from the incident.

Commercial semi-truck accident lawyers in Waltham can fight to obtain compensation for your losses. They work to:

• Establish the circumstances of the accident
• Assemble documentation and evidence of the collision
• Review videos of the crash
• Speak with experts concerning the cause of the accident
• Talk with your medical team about your timeline for recovery
• Analyze police reports and witness statements
• Negotiate with insurance companies and other defendants to obtain fair compensation
• Represent you in court if they can’t get an adequate settlement
• Handle all procedural court matters on your behalf

One of the best choices following a commercial semi-truck accident is to hire an attorney. If you attempt to handle things independently, you may not get the compensation you need to move forward with your life.

Semi-truck drivers are responsible for transporting goods across the country. However, their working conditions often lead them to make mistakes they wouldn’t make under ordinary circumstances. While truck drivers must follow extensive rules set forth by regulations, violations are common.

Many truckers regularly drive long hours, refusing to take breaks and stops when their bodies require them. Since their compensation is often dictated by how quickly they can get from one location to another, they speed or ignore standard road rules. 

Some of the most typical reasons for semi-truck accidents include:

Speeding or Overtaking Vehicles

Truckers are under significant pressure to transport their goods from one location to another. However, road conditions aren’t always in their favor. Accidents, poor weather, and heavy traffic can quickly slow down a driver. As a result, they attempt to compensate for lost time by speeding once the roads become easier to navigate.

Speeding is especially dangerous for commercial semi-trucks. These massive vehicles can’t stop quickly when a hazard arises. The time for a commercial semi-truck to stop is over 500 feet — almost the length of a football field. 

When trucks can’t stop, they often plow right into oncoming hazards or attempt to avoid collisions by driving off the road. Both options are dangerous and can result in severe accidents or fatalities.

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers are often tired. The nature of their job, which involves regularly driving almost daily, can become repetitive over time. In addition, they have a lot of time constraints. It’s not unusual for drivers to become drowsy behind the wheel due to lack of sleep or boredom. 

Driver fatigue is the cause of most truck accidents. Almost 40% of all commercial semi-truck collisions result from driver fatigue. If a driver falls asleep behind the wheel, they can easily collide with nearby vehicles.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is another common cause of truck accidents. With so many hours spent behind the wheel, it’s not unusual for drivers to focus on other objects besides the road. Checking their smartphone, eating, changing the radio station, or simply inattention can all result in a severe accident.

Problems with driver distraction become more of an issue on long hauls in rural areas. Often, the lack of changing scenery and fewer vehicles on the road can lead drivers to believe that they don’t need to pay strict attention. However, road conditions can change in only a few moments, leading a distracted driver into an unwanted collision.

Driving While Intoxicated

Truck drivers are held to a high standard when operating a commercial semi-truck. While the consequences of accidents involving intoxication are pretty straightforward, some people still violate the law.

When a truck crashes due to driver intoxication, it often results in severe repercussions. Lives may be lost, families destroyed, and property severely damaged. Despite the numerous regulations against drunk driving, driver intoxication remains a common factor in semi-truck accidents. 

Poor Maintenance

There are a lot of components in a semi-truck. Unfortunately, some trucking companies and truckers fail to maintain the components of their vehicles according to recommendations. 

When a truck crashes due to poor maintenance, the results are often unexpected and catastrophic. A blown tire can cause the truck to careen across the road, hitting other vehicles. A sudden failure in the braking system can lead to an unintended crash.

Commercial semi-truck accident lawyers in Waltham can review the evidence of your accident to determine its cause.

The injuries from a commercial semi-truck accident are often disastrous. Commercial semi-trucks may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. If a truck crashes into a passenger car or motorcycle, it can quickly destroy the entire vehicle and kill the riders. Passenger cars simply aren’t built to withstand the force of a loaded commercial truck. 

Common injuries from commercial semi-truck accidents include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Spinal cord damage
• Sprain and strains
• Herniated discs
• Shoulder injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Whiplash
• Crushing injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Fatality

Anyone involved in a commercial semi-truck accident should seek immediate medical attention, even if they feel okay in the aftermath of an accident. The force from a commercial truck is likely to cause internal injuries or traumatic brain damage that may not be immediately apparent at the crash scene.

Following an accident with a semi-truck, you’ll likely be in extreme shock. The impact of a crash involving a truck is significant and can easily knock someone unconscious, even if they haven’t sustained severe injuries.

Take these steps if you’re ever in an accident with a commercial semi-truck.

Call for Immediate Assistance

Injuries are highly likely in a commercial truck accident. Even if you and your passengers don’t have visible wounds, like broken bones and lacerations, your body has sustained a cataclysmic impact. 

You’ll want to go to the hospital for a check-up immediately. Usually, transportation via ambulance is best since you’re unlikely to have your full wits about you to drive. 

When you ask for assistance, notify the operator of the crash. They will send the police to the crash scene.

Attempt to Document the Crash

Not everyone will have the ability to take pictures of the crash scene, especially if they’re injured. If you’re able to, try to take photos of the damage to your vehicle and other cars involved. You can record a video of the scene for further evidence. 

If there are any witnesses to the crash, ask for their contact information, including their names and phone number.

Obtain the Police Report

Once the police arrive, they’ll review the circumstances of the accident to determine who was at fault for the accident. They’ll document their findings in a police report. You’ll need to obtain a copy of the police report for assistance when you file your insurance claim or lawsuit. You may get the police report from the local precinct or the accident scene.

Call Commercial Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers in Waltham

A commercial semi-truck accident involving serious injuries is not something you want to handle yourself. You’ll need the help of a qualified attorney to obtain the compensation you need to recover from your injuries. As soon as you feel well enough to speak to a lawyer regarding the accident, contact Morgan and Morgan.

Each case involving a collision with a semi-truck is different. Most accidents involve injuries, and some are fatal. Generally, the damages you collect will vary depending on the extent of your injuries and the circumstances of the accident. An attorney can help you determine the value of your case.

Each state has statutes of limitations that restrict the time a victim has to file a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death in Massachusetts is three years. 

While Massachusetts allows some time to file a lawsuit, it’s best to begin the process as quickly as possible. Your attorney will need time to review the accident and develop a case strategy.

Responsibility for a semi-truck accident varies from case to case. Sometimes, the driver is entirely at fault for the accident. In other situations, the trucking company may be liable, especially if the truck is improperly maintained or doesn’t follow government safety regulations.

Other parties who may be liable for the accident include manufacturers of truck parts or shippers. Commercial semi-truck accident lawyers in Waltham can review the facts of your case to determine who is at fault.

Morgan and Morgan is the nation’s largest personal injury law firm. Our team of over 1,000 lawyers fights on behalf of our clients to obtain compensation for injuries sustained in collisions. When you choose us, you’re selecting a well-known law firm for its dedication to justice. Contact us today to schedule a free case review.