Truck Accidents

Truck Accident Lawyer in Commerce City, CO, Assisting Victims Pursue Their Truck Accident Claims

The trucking industry is a vital part of the U.S. economy, worth more than $700 billion. Transporting goods and valuable cargo across the country, the trucks and their drivers are important and cannot be easily replaced. But a big rig is also a dangerous piece of machinery. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured in accidents with large trucks and other commercial vehicles, and approximately 4,000 people lose their lives in fatal accidents annually. It should be noted that the vast majority of those fatalities are drivers of smaller vehicles and pedestrians on the road and very rarely the truck drivers themselves. And quite alarmingly, truck accident deaths have increased by more than 50% since 2009.

Truck accident victims deserve professional legal representation. If you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one in an accident with an 18-wheeler or other commercial vehicle, you should not be on the hook for medical bills, lost wages, or burial costs. An experienced personal injury attorney will represent your truck accident case, negotiate with the insurance company, fend off the truck company’s legal team, and seek to recover damages for your claim.

Attorney Samantha Law and her law firm have experience representing clients who have suffered injury and grief following a truck crash. As your legal counsel, she will fight for the optimal outcome of your case, pursuing damages from both the truck driver and their employer. What happened to you was unfortunate and asking you to foot the bill is unthinkable. Schedule your free initial consultation with Samantha Flanaga’s law firm to discuss your personal injury case today.

Why Are Legal Cases Involving Commercial Trucking Companies More Challenging Than Other Automobile Accident Cases?

Car accidents and accidents involving big rigs are two totally different things. While a car accident can be violent and traumatic, the damage delivered by an 18-wheeler is often most aptly described as absolute devastation. Large commercial trucks often weigh 20 times as much as smaller automobiles, depending on the weight of the cargo they’re carrying. When such a vehicle collides with a civilian car, the passengers of the smaller vehicle can be obliterated within the cab.

But that’s not all. Accidents involving commercial trucks are made more complicated by the wealthy companies that are often involved, bringing with them their teams of lawyers, their powerful legal connections, and their protective insurance policies. A truck accident victim is likely to feel overwhelmed when facing the enormity of the trucking industry’s legal defenses and may feel that accepting lowball offers is all that they can possibly hope for.

They don’t have to settle for scraps, though.

Whether the truck driver involved belonged to a billion-dollar trucking company, was an independent contractor, or was privately owned by the driver themselves, the same federal laws and safety regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). FMCSA regulations were put in place to keep everyone safe on the road, truck drivers included.

Companies and contractors must not operate outside those laws. If they do, they must be held liable. For example, safety regulations require that drivers get an adequate amount of sleep. However, their employers often push them to meet seemingly impossible deadlines and sometimes threaten their jobs if they take breaks. This, unfortunately, leads to deadly crashes as truck drivers fall asleep behind the wheel. If this happens, the truck company must be held accountable, not only for that unacceptable incident but also to hopefully prevent such wrecks in the future.

What Are Common Causes and Injuries Seen in Truck Accidents?

Some trucking accidents are caused much the same way as any other motor vehicle accident: distracted driving, drunk driving, and texting while driving. But 18-wheelers require extra care and maintenance, so there are additional causes behind these accidents.

Common causes of commercial truck accidents include:

• Defective equipment.
• Distracted driving, such as eating, grooming, drinking, or reading while driving.
• Driver error.
• Driver fatigue and drowsiness.
• Driver negligence.
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Failure to perform proper maintenance leads to equipment failure.
• Improperly loaded cargo.
• Inadequate training.
• Poor weather conditions.
• Speeding and overtaking other vehicles without adequate clearance.
• Texting while driving or using a handheld device while driving.

Common injuries seen in truck accidents include:

• Broken bones.
• Burns.
• Concussions.
• Deep cuts and lacerations.
• Disfigurement.
• Emotional pain and suffering.
• Loss of limbs.
• Loss of sight, speech, and hearing.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Whiplash.
• Wrongful death.

Who May Be Held Liable for Truck Accident Injuries?

With a well-constructed truck accident lawsuit, it is possible to sue multiple parties for both economic and non-economic damages. Not only can a negligent driver of a tractor-trailer be held accountable, but so can their employer and potentially the truck’s manufacturer.

With the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer, it’s possible to go beyond the insurance claim and seek punitive damages.

Compensation can come in the form of economic damages such as medical expenses, lost income, and property damage. Non-economic damages, meanwhile, seek to address issues such as loss of companionship, lost quality of life, and emotional distress.

Remember: it’s not easy to take on the wealthy and powerful trucking industry on your own. However, with the help of the right legal counsel, it’s possible to recover a large settlement for your injuries, suffering, and loss. Whether it was a semi-truck, a garbage truck, or some other commercial vehicle, you deserve to recover financial compensation for the anguish you’ve been forced to endure through no fault of your own.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Colorado Truck Accident Attorney Today

First of all, let us offer our sympathies to you and your family for the traumatic events you’ve been forced to endure. Truck accidents are terrifying and violent events for both survivors and witnesses. If you’ve been impacted by such an accident, we would be proud to represent your case.

While no outcome can be guaranteed, the law firm of Flanagan Law can confidently represent your case. Together with lawyer Samantha Flanagan, you will seek the compensation you so rightly deserve. At Flanagan Law, your health and recovery are the top priority. We will take the burden off your shoulders so that you may focus on recovering your strength and sense of self. In addition to providing legal guidance, Flanagan Law also offers its network of doctors to clients looking to receive better care for the treatment they need.

Flanagan Law offers free case evaluations to new clients looking for legal assistance as they explore their options following truck accidents. And we know that many clients hesitate to hire lawyers because of the legal fees. Our promise to you is that if we don’t win, you don’t pay us a dime.

To schedule your free initial consultation with our Commerce City firm, please contact us at 720-928-9178.