Were You In An 18-Wheeler Accident? We’ll Be By Your Side.

Over 500,000 accidents involving 18-wheel trucks occur in the United States every year. The injuries that result from these accidents are usually catastrophic. Of these accidents, over 5,000 are fatal.

If you survived an auto accident involving an 18-wheeler and have expensive and painful injuries, you deserve legal help. Downs Law Firm can represent you and advocate for your rights. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you maximize the reparations that you receive for your suffering.

Why Did A Truck Accident Happen To Me?

If you were in a truck accident, you were probably left wondering: How could this happen to me? Trucking accidents can have multiple causes. You may feel guilty for your accident, even if you were not at fault.

Accidents involving commercial trucks can be caused due to several factors, most of them involve the negligence of another party. Some examples include:

• Truck driver negligence: Often, truck drivers ignore traffic signals, do not pay attention to other cars, drive faster than the speed limit allows, drive while distracted or drive while intoxicated.
• Trucking company negligence: The company that owns the truck may contribute to an accident if they choose to ignore cargo limits, do not train their drivers, do not maintain their vehicles or force their drivers to operate without enough sleep.
• Truck manufacturer negligence: If shoddy construction, defective parts, poor materials or improper maintenance is determined to be the cause of an accident, the truck manufacturer can be held liable.

Common Causes Of 18-Wheeler Accidents

Many factors can cause 18-wheeler accidents. If negligence on the part of the driver, trucking company or another party influenced your accident, you might be entitled to recover compensation. Some common causes of 18-wheeler accidents include:

• Failure to accommodate blind spots
• Brake failure
• Driver fatigue
• Failure to obey traffic rules
• Defective tires or other truck parts
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Unsecured or improperly secured cargo
• Unsafe driving practices

Our personal injury attorneys can work to determine the cause of your accident, determine liability and hold the responsible party accountable for the crash.

How Do You Determine Liability In A Truck Accident?

Most accidents involving private vehicles like cars or motorcycles have only two parties involved: the drivers. In these cases, determining liability is fairly simple. But if an accident involves an 18-wheeler or other commercial vehicles, determining liability quickly becomes complicated. In a commercial truck accident, you and the truck driver are not the only parties involved. Several other parties’ negligence can cause truck crashes. For instance:

• The owner or manufacturer of the truck may have used defective parts, assembled the truck shoddily, or failed to inspect and maintain the truck regularly.
• Truck drivers sometimes drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol or without enough sleep. Some drivers do not pay enough attention to other drivers or ignore the laws of traffic.
• The trucking company may have pushed its drivers to drive without adequate rest periods. The company may not have provided enough training or may not have safely maintained the vehicles.
• Commercial trucks usually carry cargo. If the cargo loader failed to inspect the cargo, did not load it properly or failed to secure it inside the truck and this contributed to the accident they may be held liable.

Figuring out which party has liability requires an attorney with years of experience in similar cases. Downs Law Firm has successfully determined liability and recovered compensation for hundreds of clients in Louisiana. Once we have assessed which party is liable, we will fight tirelessly to help you recover compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions About 18-Wheeler Accidents

With decades of combined legal experience helping 18-wheeler accident victims recover the financial compensation they deserve, we’ve heard and answered every question imaginable about these life-changing injuries. Below are a few of the more common questions we’ve received from our clients.

Why are 18-wheeler accidents so damaging?
What should I do after an 18-wheeler accident?
Who is at fault in a truck accident?
How much is a truck accident claim worth?
Do I need a lawyer for a truck accident?
How long will my accident settlement take?

Why are 18-wheeler accidents so damaging?

Eighteen-wheeler accidents are particularly catastrophic, even among other accidents caused by commercial vehicles. The sheer size of an 18-wheeler means that the impact on a passenger car is massive. Survivors may experience lifelong brain injuries as well as severe neck and spinal injuries. The damage to property can also be devastating.

Because these accidents cause so much damage, they also cause major expenses for victims. Downs Law Firm will fight to recover compensation for the catastrophic damages you suffered because of an 18-wheeler.

What should I do after an 18-wheeler accident?

After an accident, your health is your first priority. Determine if you need medical attention and call an ambulance if necessary. If you are able to move about the scene of the accident safely, gather photos and videos of the scene, collect any testimony from witnesses, and gather the driver and car information of the liable party. Be sure to report the accident to your insurance company and the police. Lastly, contact us for the legal representation you need. And remember not to talk to the other party’s insurance company or representatives without first talking to us.

Who is at fault in a truck accident?

There are a few common possible liable parties after a truck accident. The driver may be liable for negligent or reckless driving. The driver’s employer may be liable for knowingly hiring a reckless driver or failing to train them properly. If the accident was caused by a defective truck part, the manufacturer or retailer of the part in question might be liable for your injuries. We can review your case to determine who is liable and pursue a claim against them.

How much is a truck accident claim worth?

Because each injury claim’s compensation reflects a unique situation, there is no average settlement value in these claims. However, fair compensation for your injuries should cover the current and future values of economic costs like lost income and medical bills, and noneconomic costs like pain and suffering. You may even qualify for punitive damages, which serve as a punishment for the actions that caused the accident.

Do I need a lawyer for a truck accident?

While there is no legal requirement to have a lawyer in a truck accident claim, retaining an experienced 18-wheeler accident attorney is your best bet at securing the outcome you deserve. An attorney’s guidance can help ensure that you refuse lowball settlement offers, avoid costly mistakes in your claim, and receive your money in a swift and effective manner.

How long will my accident settlement take?

Simple injury cases can take weeks or months to settle, and complex cases can often take more than a year. We know how much the victims of these accidents need fair compensation, which is why we work tirelessly to settle these cases as quickly as possible without sacrificing the quality of the outcome.

Get A Lawyer On Your Side; Schedule A Consultation.

If an 18-wheel truck injured you, get representation from Downs Law Firm. We do not charge a fee unless we recover compensation for you. Get your free consultation by calling 318-284-8551 or by sending an email. We serve Monroe, Bastrop and northeast Louisiana. We are also licensed to practice in Arkansas and Mississippi.