Need an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer?
If you’ve been injured by the negligence of a commercial truck driver, now is not the time to begin dealing with the insurance company and attempting to handle your truck accident case by yourself. Now is the time to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer. Though many people believe that they cannot afford to hire a truck accident lawyer, the reality is that many people cannot afford not to hire a truck accident lawyer. Although you can attempt to handle your truck accident case without the help of a personal injury attorney, we do not recommend this. Even those who are dead-set on handling their own case should at least meet with a truck accident lawyer to discuss their options. There are ten really good reasons to consider this. Need help?
1. Many Truck Accident Lawyers Give Free Consultations
Injured truck accident victims shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for their medical bills, and they definitely shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for a personal injury claim. Many experienced truck accident lawyers give accident victims a free consultation to help them determine what their best options are. These free consultations do not mean the truck accident victim is obligated to work with the law firm, nor does it mean that the truck accident victim can no longer pursue their claim alone. These consultations were designed to help accident victims discuss the merits of their cases with a personal injury lawyer or a member of the legal team.
2. Insurance Companies Don’t Always Act in Your Best Interest
In an ideal world, you’d be able to file a claim with the insurance company and be done. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see insurance companies who are more interested in protecting their bottom line than they are in offering a fair settlement. As soon as you file an insurance claim, you can bet your bottom dollar that the insurance company will be looking to offer the lowest settlement they possibly can. Truck accident lawyers can help negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company so that you can focus on recovery.
3. Insurance Companies Know the Law
When you’re hiring a truck accident lawyer, you’re ideally hiring someone who’s used their knowledge of the law to help others get the compensation they deserve after a truck accident. It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to use their knowledge of the law against those who have been injured in truck accidents. Those who try to handle their truck accident claim without the help of a personal injury lawyer often find themselves talking in a “run-around” with the insurance provider. But if you’ve been injured in a truck crash, you don’t have time to be jerked around by insurance companies. You’ve got medical bills that need to be paid now. Hiring a truck accident lawyer who knows the law can help you get the compensation you deserve.
4. Truck Accident Lawyers Can Get You More
Even if the insurance provider offers a settlement that pays all of a victim’s medical expenses, a good truck accident lawyer may still be able to get the victim more money. In almost all personal injury cases, the truck accident lawyer will be able to get the injured party more compensation than the insurance company was willing to give. If you’re apprehensive about hiring a truck accident lawyer, you can always attend the free consultation to help you determine whether or not it’s in your best interest to file a truck accident claim. However, in nearly every case, working with a truck accident lawyer will help maximize the compensation you receive for your injuries.
5. Truck Accident Lawyers Work on Contingency
A lot of truck accident victims don’t want to pay for an attorney due to the cost of medical treatment. Fortunately, many truck accident lawyers work on contingency. This means that they don’t get paid until you get paid. Once the truck accident lawyer gets a fair settlement, a pre-negotiated portion of that settlement will generally cover any and all legal fees associated with the truck accident case. If you go all the way to trial, but you don’t receive a fair settlement and the judge rules against you, you won’t have to pay the truck accident lawyer anything. This is called working on contingency. So, if you’ve been injured in truck accident, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to afford a truck accident lawyer.
6. You Need Help Paying for Your Medical Expenses
If you need help with covering the cost of your current medical expenses, or future medical expenses after a car accident or commercial truck accident, a truck accident lawyer may be your only option for fair compensation. Though working with a truck accident law firm may sound overwhelming, it may be your only option to get the compensation you need to cover all of your medical treatment and any other accident-related expenses. Furthermore, a good truck accident lawyer will work to ensure that the process of filing a truck accident claim is smooth and easy.
7. A Personal Injury Lawsuit Can Inspire Change
Many of those who have been injured in accidents desperately wish that the accident hadn’t ever occurred in the first place. And the aforementioned is true even in cases where there are multi-million dollar settlements or judgments. Not only do truck accident lawsuits bring attention to the consequences of a trucking company’s negligence, they may also provide a powerful incentive to add additional safety precautions to prevent future trucking accidents. Personal injury claims help keep communities safe by inspiring change in companies whose negligence has caused others severe injuries. Some commercial truck accidents were caused due to negligence of the trucking companies. If you’ve been injured in a truck wreck, and you file a claim, you may be able to prevent someone else from going through the same thing you’re going through.
8. This Is What Insurance Is For
It’s common for victims of accidents to be hesitant when considering a lawsuit. In some cases, the injured party believes that the at-fault party shouldn’t have to go bankrupt over a truck accident since, after all it was an accident; the truck driver didn’t intend to cause such injuries. However, the assumption that all lawsuits cause individuals to go bankrupt couldn’t be further from the truth. In many cases, it’s the at-fault party’s insurance who pays, not the individual person. This is exactly what insurance is for: when one person is injured due to the negligence of another person, the at-fault party’s insurance is supposed to pay for the injuries. By filing a claim against the person who caused the truck crash, you’re using insurance as intended.
9. Insurance Companies Don’t Always Pay for Non-Economic Damages
Insurance companies often try to pay the minimum amount. This may mean that they overlook the need to pay for non-economic damages, or refuse to pay for them all together. Economic damages typically include things like property damages, medical expenses, loss of earning potential and lost wages. Non-economic damages may include emotional distress, loss of consortium, In many truck crashes where injuries occur, it’s not uncommon for pain and suffering to come with those injuries. Truck accident lawyers to get the most for their clients, including compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. For this reason, having a truck accident lawyer handle your case increases your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
10. Commercial Insurance Can Be Tricky
Some of the most devastating truck accidents are accidents involving commercial trucks. Semi-truck accidents can make dealing with insurance claims much more difficult, especially when there are higher damages. The type of insurance that commercial trucks carry may make getting compensation even more difficult because commercial policies often have different terms. As always, no matter which insurance providers are involved, you can be certain that each party will be looking for reasons to deny coverage. Because insurance companies are always looking for ways to deny coverage, consulting a truck accident lawyer before the insurance company is always a good idea.
“But Do I NEED a Truck Accident Lawyer?”
Technically speaking, you don’t need a truck accident lawyer—but it’s never a bad idea to consult with one. Not only is the consultation free, but a truck accident lawyer can help you understand the legal concepts that are important to your case, and outline your best options moving forward. Furthermore, most people aren’t as successful dealing with their claims by themselves. Truck accident lawyers get the injured party more compensation nearly every time—and this is still true even after you account for the legal fees that are covered by the settlement. Since most truck accident lawyers offer free consultations and work on contingency, there’s no reason you shouldn’t hire one—especially since they’re proven to get you more compensation.
You Can Help Prevent Truck Accidents
Truck accidents have the potential to be especially serious due to the size of the truck and the speeds at which they’re driving. Though trucking companies take precautions to ensure that their truck drivers don’t pose a danger to others on the road, other drivers should also make sure that they’re not engaging in behavior that increases the likelihood of a trucking accident. Driver error remains one of the most common causes of vehicle accidents across the country. In order to reduce the rate of auto accidents, everyone must work together and drive defensively and considerately. You can help reduce the amount of truck accident cases by following these five safety tips.
1. Don’t Follow too Closely
Truck crashes can occur when cars follow trucks too closely. Remember, driving a truck is a whole lot different than driving a car. In many cases, truck drivers cannot stop as quickly as passenger cars. To compensate for this, a truck driver may stop sooner than you’d expect them to, or slow down sooner in order to come to a complete stop. If you’re following too closely when a truck driver begins to slow down, you may not be able to stop in time. Though fender-benders don’t sound like they make for serious truck accidents, they definitely can if they occur at freeway speeds.
2. Consider Their Blind Spots
Though it can’t always be helped, it’s never a good idea to hang out in a truck driver’s blind spots. Furthermore, you should never assume that the truck driver is able to see you. It’s not uncommon for truck drivers to travel along two lane highways, especially once out of the city. So remember that the right lane is the slow lane and the left lane is the fast line. If you’re in the right lane, and there’s a semi truck in the left lane, keep in mind that they’re likely attempting to pass or have already passed a vehicle in the right lane. If they’ve already passed a vehicle in the right lane, they may be attempting to get back into the right lane. Be on the lookout for this. In the event that they’re unable to see you, you want to be able to create enough space for them to move over, or honk your horn in time to alert them of your presence.
3. Don’t Cut Truck Drivers Off
Remember, truck drivers oftentimes cannot stop as quickly as passenger cars. Depending on how fast you’re going, this may be a catastrophic trucking accident. Though the truck driver may simply rear-end you, they may also run over your car; it’s all going to depend on their ability to slow down in time. Since their ability to do this may be extremely limited depending on your circumstances, it’s likely a good idea to play it safe and refrain from cutting off truck drivers altogether. Also, if you do need to pass a truck driver, make sure you do so by passing on the left.
4. Let Them In
Nobody wants to be stuck behind a semi-truck, we understand that. However, it’s far better to let a truck driver in than it is to cause a trucking accident. Refusal to let semi-trucks in can be particularly dangerous, especially if their lane is ending and they have nowhere else to go. To prevent truck accidents and/or car accidents, make sure to let truck drivers in, especially when they need to get in. Even though it may slow you down, there’s a good chance that being behind a semi-truck driver will not significantly change the time you arrive at your destination. Furthermore, you will likely be able to pass them using the left lane later on.
5. Give Them Space
Although we’ve already covered parts of this, giving truckers the space they need to change lanes and stop at a safe distance is a crucial part of preventing serious car accidents and truck accidents. Not only should you avoid hanging out in blinds pots, following too closely, or cutting off truckers, but you should also make sure that you’re giving them enough space and not drifting into their lanes. If there are warnings on the truck that caution other drivers about atypical driving behavior, you should heed those warnings. Some common warnings include, “Driver makes wide turns,” “Driver stops short,” and, “Stay Back 100 feet.” If a truck is toting a load of rocks or gravel, do not be surprised if it hits your windshield. Even if there aren’t warnings, it may be a good idea to stay back if you have concerns about the security of a truck’s load.
Trucking Companies Can Keep Passenger Cars Safe
No trucking company wants to be sitting across from a group of truck accident lawyers, answering the hard questions about a trucking accident caused by the negligence of the trucking company. For this reason, companies should take reasonable precautions to prevent accidents, especially in cases where the trucking company owns truck. Even if your drivers have their own trucks, it’s important for every trucking company to take safety seriously. Companies can keep their employees and other drivers on the road safe by following these three safety tips.
1. Provide Adequate Training
If you’re looking to prevent a commercial motor vehicle crash, providing your drivers with good training is a great starting point. Truck accident claims commonly stem from negligence on the truck driver’s part (assuming they’re the at-fault party). Although the accident can be caused by the driver, it can also be caused by the driver’s lack of training. You can avoid taking on unnecessary truck accident liability by providing each employee with training. Depending on your circumstances, you may choose to have your employees attend periodic training on safety equipment, protocols, and safe driving. Some companies even choose to require that the employees take certain tests in order to prove that the employees are adequately trained.
2. Verify Credentials
In most states, they don’t allow drivers to hop in a semi-truck and start driving the instant they get a license at 16 years old. Instead, most states require truck drivers to have special training and meet certain criteria before they’re permitted to drive a semi-truck. Truck companies can prevent truck accident cases by verifying that all of their drivers have the proper education, training, certification, and licenses for the job they’re doing. When a truck company hires an employee that doesn’t have the proper qualifications to drive a vehicle, they could be on the hook for negligently hiring that employee. If a truck company hires a driver that they knew, or reasonably should have known, did not have the proper qualifications to operate such a vehicle, they may be liable for any truck accidents that driver causes.
3. Fire Bad Drivers
If you have a driver that has racked up a lot of complaints or even caused accidents, it’s likely a good idea to at the very least conduct a thorough investigation of these claims. An accident involving a chronically negligent driver can be a big problem for a company. If a company continues to employ a driver with a history of causing truck accidents due to negligence, the truck company that hired the employee could be on the hook for negligently retaining the employee. Though companies aren’t legally required to fire an employee each time the employee makes a mistake, companies should at least investigate the incident. If warranted, the employer should consider disciplining the employee, mandating additional training, and/or changing the employee’s position.
“What If I’m in a Truck Accident?”
If you’re in a truck accident, meeting with a truck accident attorney is never a bad idea. You may want to start looking around for truck accident lawyers before you even try handling the claim without the help of a truck accident attorney. In a world where insurance companies are dedicated to denying coverage, you can be certain that these companies are hanging on your every word, hoping you say something that allows them to deny coverage. Truck accident lawyers are dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve. Therefore, it may be a good idea to speak with a truck accident attorney before you try to negotiate a settlement yourself.
Choosing a Truck Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been in a truck accident, you’ve probably seen that there are many truck accident attorneys to choose from. Choosing the best truck accident lawyer for you and your circumstances is a great way to ensure that you’ll get the best outcome possible. At Moxie Law Group, our truck accident attorneys are dedicated to providing a personalized touch to your personal injury claim. We understand that a fair truck accident settlement is a fundamental part of our client’s recovery process. That’s why we treat all our truck accident cases as if they were our own cases. While some personal injury lawyers are caught up in settling cases as quickly as possible, our personal injury lawyers are dedicated to getting our clients the compensation they deserve, even if that means filing a truck accident lawsuit.
The Trucking Accident Lawyers Aren’t Afraid of Court
Not all trucking accident lawyers take their clients’ truck accident cases seriously. Accidents involving commercial motor vehicles can be extremely serious. If you’re in an accident such as the aforementioned, you need an experienced lawyer who’s not afraid of a truck accident lawsuit. Some semi-truck accident lawyers would rather not file a lawsuit and go to court because trials can be long and expensive. But if you hire an experienced lawyer at Moxie Law Group, your experience will be different: our attorneys are committed to our truck accident cases–even if we have to take your case to trial to get fair compensation.
What Does a Free Consultation Look Like?
If you’ve been in a car accident or truck accident, it’s always a good idea to meet with a personal injury attorney for a free consultation. Though it may sound overwhelming, these free consultations are designed to be stress-free, fast, and easy. During a free consultation, an attorney or paralegal may review police reports pertaining to the incident, pictures of the accident scene, bills and estimates relating to your damages, and more. In the consultation, the attorney and/or paralegal may go over your options, and answer any truck accident questions you may have. At Moxie Law Group, the consultation can even be done over the phone. It really is that easy.
Car Accident? Wrongful Death? Property Damage? We’re Here for You
You don’t want to be stuck at the accident scene wondering what your next steps are. When truck accidents occur, victims have usually sustained serious injuries that have resulted in lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress. At Moxie Law Group, we understand that an accident involving a truck is not your typical car accident. And our law firm is dedicated to providing victims of such accidents the resources necessary to win the compensation they need to cover their lost wages, medical bills, and other injury-related expenses. At Moxie Law Group, we’re committed to providing support to our clients from the accident scene to the settlement check or judgement. If you’re looking for a personalized touch to personal injury, meet with a truck accident lawyer today.
Not Your Average Car Accident
Since trucks are so much larger than passenger vehicles, the potential for damage is often much higher. Tragically, wrongful death can occur when proper safety precautions are neglected or ignored. When you’re dealing with a wrongful death claim, it’s important to work with an attorney who understands the delicate nature of such claims. This is particularly true when the defendant in a claim is the truck manufacturer or other entity within the trucking industry. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, or an incident with a tractor-trailer, you need an attorney with the knowledge and experience to get you the compensation you deserve, especially when your claim includes wrongful death.
What Should You Do After an Accident?
Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do after an accident. A lot of people believe that they’re careful drivers, therefore accidents simply won’t happen to them. Sometimes, people overestimate the abilities of the other drivers on the road. In other cases, people tend to overestimate their own abilities. Regardless of the cause, many people remain unprepared for the possibility that an accident could happen to them. It’s likely due to this bias that so many people don’t know what to do at the scene of an accident or immediately after.
Is Everyone Okay?
If you’ve been in an accident, you may need to call for help. The first thing you should do is make sure everyone in your car is okay, and everyone in the other car is okay. If you, or any other party needs medical attention, you may need to call for an ambulance. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to call for help using the emergency line. Once you call the proper authorities, you can move on to the next step. Do not say that you’re not injured, even if there aren’t any signs of immediate injury. Some injuries may take days to become apparent. The other party may be reluctant to get police involved, or pressure you into keeping the police and insurance companies out of it. If there’s any possibility that you may be injured, you will need to file a claim with the insurance company in order to get compensation for your injuries.
Seek Medical Attention
If you’ve been injured, you may have a duty to mitigate the extent of your injuries by seeking medical attention. Let’s say you were in a car accident and the paramedics say you ought to go get checked out. If you refuse to follow their suggestions, and your injuries become worse, it may be more difficult for you to get the maximum compensation for your injuries. If you’ve been injured in an accident, seek medical attention as soon as you can.
Gather Estimates and Get Compensation
Personal injury settlements and judgments aren’t based on arbitrary amounts. They’re often based on the economic and non-economic injuries a person sustains. Though it isn’t necessary, it may be a good idea for you to gather evidence of your damages before your free consultation. You can gather evidence in the form of pictures, estimates, medical bills, receipts, and other sources that show the extent of your injuries and the cost of them. This can help personal injury attorneys give you more accurate information about your case.
Contact an Attorney with Moxie
If you’ve been injured and you need an attorney who will take your case seriously, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation. At Moxie Law Group, our attorneys work on contingency so you don’t pay us anything out of pocket. Instead, a portion of your settlement or judgment will cover your legal fees. No settlement or judgment? No problem: at Moxie Law Group, you don’t pay if you don’t win. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident or tractor-trailer incident, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation.
Need an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer?
If you’ve been injured by the negligence of a commercial truck driver, now is not the time to begin dealing with the insurance company and attempting to handle your truck accident case by yourself. Now is the time to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer. Though many people believe that they cannot afford to hire a truck accident lawyer, the reality is that many people cannot afford not to hire a truck accident lawyer. Although you can attempt to handle your truck accident case without the help of a personal injury attorney, we do not recommend this. Even those who are dead-set on handling their own case should at least meet with a truck accident lawyer to discuss their options. There are ten really good reasons to consider this. Need help?
1. Many Truck Accident Lawyers Give Free Consultations
Injured truck accident victims shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for their medical bills, and they definitely shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for a personal injury claim. Many experienced truck accident lawyers give accident victims a free consultation to help them determine what their best options are. These free consultations do not mean the truck accident victim is obligated to work with the law firm, nor does it mean that the truck accident victim can no longer pursue their claim alone. These consultations were designed to help accident victims discuss the merits of their cases with a personal injury lawyer or a member of the legal team.
2. Insurance Companies Don’t Always Act in Your Best Interest
In an ideal world, you’d be able to file a claim with the insurance company and be done. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see insurance companies who are more interested in protecting their bottom line than they are in offering a fair settlement. As soon as you file an insurance claim, you can bet your bottom dollar that the insurance company will be looking to offer the lowest settlement they possibly can. Truck accident lawyers can help negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company so that you can focus on recovery.
3. Insurance Companies Know the Law
When you’re hiring a truck accident lawyer, you’re ideally hiring someone who’s used their knowledge of the law to help others get the compensation they deserve after a truck accident. It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to use their knowledge of the law against those who have been injured in truck accidents. Those who try to handle their truck accident claim without the help of a personal injury lawyer often find themselves talking in a “run-around” with the insurance provider. But if you’ve been injured in a truck crash, you don’t have time to be jerked around by insurance companies. You’ve got medical bills that need to be paid now. Hiring a truck accident lawyer who knows the law can help you get the compensation you deserve.
4. Truck Accident Lawyers Can Get You More
Even if the insurance provider offers a settlement that pays all of a victim’s medical expenses, a good truck accident lawyer may still be able to get the victim more money. In almost all personal injury cases, the truck accident lawyer will be able to get the injured party more compensation than the insurance company was willing to give. If you’re apprehensive about hiring a truck accident lawyer, you can always attend the free consultation to help you determine whether or not it’s in your best interest to file a truck accident claim. However, in nearly every case, working with a truck accident lawyer will help maximize the compensation you receive for your injuries.
5. Truck Accident Lawyers Work on Contingency
A lot of truck accident victims don’t want to pay for an attorney due to the cost of medical treatment. Fortunately, many truck accident lawyers work on contingency. This means that they don’t get paid until you get paid. Once the truck accident lawyer gets a fair settlement, a pre-negotiated portion of that settlement will generally cover any and all legal fees associated with the truck accident case. If you go all the way to trial, but you don’t receive a fair settlement and the judge rules against you, you won’t have to pay the truck accident lawyer anything. This is called working on contingency. So, if you’ve been injured in truck accident, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to afford a truck accident lawyer.
6. You Need Help Paying for Your Medical Expenses
If you need help with covering the cost of your current medical expenses, or future medical expenses after a car accident or commercial truck accident, a truck accident lawyer may be your only option for fair compensation. Though working with a truck accident law firm may sound overwhelming, it may be your only option to get the compensation you need to cover all of your medical treatment and any other accident related expenses. Furthermore, a good truck accident lawyer will work to ensure that the process of filing a truck accident claim is smooth and easy.
7. A Personal Injury Lawsuit Can Inspire Change
Many of those who have been injured in accidents desperately wish that the accident hadn’t ever occurred in the first place. And the aforementioned is true even in cases where there are multi-million dollar settlements or judgments. Not only do truck accident lawsuits bring attention to the consequences of a trucking company’s negligence, they may also provide a powerful incentive to add additional safety precautions to prevent future trucking accidents. Personal injury claims help keep communities safe by inspiring change in companies whose negligence has caused others severe injuries. Some commercial truck accidents, were caused due to negligence of the trucking companies. If you’ve been injured in a truck wreck, and you file a claim, you may be able to prevent someone else from going through the same thing you’re going through.
8. This Is What Insurance Is For
It’s common for victims of accidents to be hesitant when considering a lawsuit. In some cases, the injured party believes that the at-fault party shouldn’t have to go bankrupt over a truck accident since, after all it was an accident; the truck driver didn’t intend to cause such injuries. However, the assumption that all lawsuits cause individuals to go bankrupt couldn’t be further from the truth. In many cases, it’s the at-fault party’s insurance who pays, not the individual person. This is exactly what insurance is for: when one person is injured due to the negligence of another person, the at-fault party’s insurance is supposed to pay for the injuries. By filing a claim against the person who caused the truck crash, you’re using insurance as intended.
9. Insurance Companies Don’t Always Pay for Non-Economic Damages
Insurance companies often try to pay the minimum amount. This may mean that they overlook the need to pay for non-economic damages, or refuse to pay for them all together. Economic damages typically include things like property damages, medical expenses, loss of earning potential and lost wages. Non-economic damages may include emotional distress, loss of consortium, In many truck crashes where injuries occur, it’s not uncommon for pain and suffering to come with those injuries. Truck accident lawyers to get the most for their clients, including compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. For this reason, having a truck accident lawyer handle your case increases your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
10. Commercial Insurance Can Be Tricky
Some of the most devastating truck accidents are accidents involving commercial trucks. Semi-truck accidents can make dealing with insurance claims much more difficult, especially when there are higher damages. The type of insurance that commercial trucks carry may make getting compensation even more difficult because commercial policies often have different terms. As always, no matter which insurance providers are involved, you can be certain that each party will be looking for reasons to deny coverage. Because insurance companies are always looking for ways to deny coverage, consulting a truck accident lawyer before the insurance company is always a good idea.
“But Do I NEED a Truck Accident Lawyer?”
Technically speaking, you don’t need a truck accident lawyer—but it’s never a bad idea to consult with one. Not only is the consultation free, but a truck accident lawyer can help you understand the legal concepts that are important to your case, and outline your best options moving forward. Furthermore, most people aren’t as successful dealing with their claims by themselves. Truck accident lawyers get the injured party more compensation nearly every time—and this is still true even after you account for the legal fees that are covered by the settlement. Since most truck accident lawyers offer free consultations and work on contingency, there’s no reason you shouldn’t hire one—especially since they’re proven to get you more compensation.
You Can Help Prevent Truck Accidents
Truck accidents have the potential to be especially serious due to the size of the truck and the speeds at which they’re driving. Though trucking companies take precautions to ensure that their truck drivers don’t pose a danger to others on the road, other drivers should also make sure that they’re not engaging in behavior that increases the likelihood of a trucking accident. Driver error remains one of the most common causes of vehicle accidents across the country. In order to reduce the rate of auto accidents, everyone must work together and drive defensively and considerately. You can help reduce the amount of truck accident cases by following these five safety tips.
1. Don’t Follow too Closely
Truck crashes can occur when cars follow trucks too closely. Remember, driving a truck is a whole lot different than driving a car. In many cases, truck drivers cannot stop as quickly as passenger cars. To compensate for this, a truck driver may stop sooner than you’d expect them to, or slow down sooner in order to come to a complete stop. If you’re following too closely when a truck driver begins to slow down, you may not be able to stop in time. Though fender-benders don’t sound like they make for serious truck accidents, they definitely can if they occur at freeway speeds.
2. Consider Their Blind Spots
Though it can’t always be helped, it’s never a good idea to hang out in a truck driver’s blind spots. Furthermore, you should never assume that the truck driver is able to see you. It’s not uncommon for truck drivers to travel along two lane highways, especially once out of the city. So remember that the right lane is the slow lane and the left lane is the fast line. If you’re in the right lane, and there’s a semi truck in the left lane, keep in mind that they’re likely attempting to pass or have already passed a vehicle in the right lane. If they’ve already passed a vehicle in the right lane, they may be attempting to get back into the right lane. Be on the look out for this. In the event that they’re unable to see you, you want to be able to create enough space for them to move over, or honk your horn in time to alert them of your presence.
3. Don’t Cut Truck Drivers Off
Remember, truck drivers often times cannot stop as quickly as passenger cars. Depending on how fast you’re going, this may be a catastrophic trucking accident. Though the truck driver may simply rear-end you, they may also run over your car; it’s all going to depend on their ability to slow down in time. Since their ability to do this may be extremely limited depending on your circumstances, it’s likely a good idea to play it safe and refrain from cutting off truck drivers altogether. Also, if you do need to pass a truck driver, make sure you do so by passing on the left.
4. Let Them In
Nobody wants to be stuck behind a semi-truck, we understand that. However, it’s far better to let a truck driver in than it is to cause a trucking accident. Refusal to let semi-trucks in can be particularly dangerous, especially if their lane is ending and they have no where else to go. To prevent truck accidents and/or car accidents, make sure to let truck drivers in, especially when they need to get in. Even though it may slow you down, there’s a good chance that being behind a semi-truck driver will not significantly change the time you arrive at your destination. Furthermore, you will likely be able to pass them using the left lane later on.
5. Give Them Space
Although we’ve already covered parts of this, giving truckers the space they need to change lanes and stop at a safe distance is a crucial part of preventing serious car accidents and truck accidents. Not only should you avoid hanging out in blinds pots, following too closely, or cutting off truckers, but you should also make sure that you’re giving them enough space and not drifting into their lanes. If there are warnings on the truck that caution other drivers about atypical driving behavior, you should heed those warnings. Some common warnings include, “Driver makes wide turns,” “Driver stops short,” and, “Stay Back 100 feet.” If a truck is toting a load of rocks or gravel, do not be surprised if it hits your windshield. Even if there aren’t warnings, it may be a good idea to stay back if you have concerns about the security of a truck’s load.
Trucking Companies Can Keep Passenger Cars Safe
No trucking company wants to be sitting across from a group of truck accident lawyers, answering the hard questions about a trucking accident caused by the negligence of the trucking company. For this reason, companies should take reasonable precautions to prevent accidents, especially in cases where the trucking company owns truck. Even if your drivers have their own trucks, it’s important for every trucking company to take safety seriously. Companies can keep their employees and the other drivers on the road safe by following these three safety tips.
1. Provide Adequate Training
If you’re looking to prevent a commercial motor vehicle crash, providing your drivers with good training is a great starting point. Truck accident claims commonly stem from negligence on the truck driver’s part (assuming they’re the at-fault party). Although the accident can be caused by the driver, it can also be caused by the driver’s lack of training. You can avoid taking on unnecessary truck accident liability by providing each employee with training. Depending on your circumstances, you may choose to have your employees attend periodic training on safety equipment, protocols, and safe driving. Some companies even choose to require that the employees take certain tests in order to prove that the employees are adequately trained.
2. Verify Credentials
In most states, they don’t allow drivers to hop in a semi-truck and start driving the instant they get a license at 16 years old. Instead, most states require truck drivers to have special training and meet certain criteria before they’re permitted to drive a semi-truck. Truck companies can prevent truck accident cases by verifying that all of their drivers have the proper education, training, certification, and licenses for the job they’re doing. When a truck company hires an employee that doesn’t have the proper qualifications to drive a vehicle, they could be on the hook for negligently hiring that employee. If a truck company hires a driver that they knew, or reasonably should have known, did not have the proper qualifications to operate such a vehicle, they may be liable for any truck accidents that driver causes.
3. Fire Bad Drivers
If you have a driver that has racked up a lot of complaints, or even caused accidents, it’s likely a good idea to at the very least conduct a thorough investigation of these claims. An accident involving a chronically negligent driver can be a big problem for a company. If a company continues to employ a driver with a history of causing truck accidents due to negligence, the truck company that hired the employee could be on the hook for negligently retaining the employee. Though companies aren’t legally required to fire an employee each time the employee makes a mistake, companies should at least investigate the incident. If warranted, the employer should consider disciplining the employee, mandating additional training, and/or changing the employee’s position .
“What If I’m in a Truck Accident?”
If you’re in a truck accident, meeting with a truck accident attorney is never a bad idea. You may want to start looking around for truck accident lawyers before you even try handling the claim without the help of a truck accident attorney. In a world where insurance companies are dedicated to denying coverage, you can be certain that these companies are hanging on your every word, hoping you say something that allows them to deny coverage. Truck accident lawyers are dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve. Therefore, it may be a good idea to speak with a truck accident attorney before you try to negotiate a settlement yourself.
Choosing a Truck Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been in a truck accident, you’ve probably seen that there are many truck accident attorneys to choose from. Choosing the best truck accident lawyer for you and your circumstances is a great way to ensure that you’ll get the best outcome possible. At Moxie Law Group, our truck accident attorneys are dedicated to providing a personalized touch to your personal injury claim. We understand that a fair truck accident settlement is a fundamental part of our client’s recovery process. That’s why we treat all our truck accident cases as if they were our own cases. While some personal injury lawyers are caught up in settling cases as quickly as possible, our personal injury lawyers are dedicated to getting our clients the compensation they deserve, even if that means filing a truck accident lawsuit.
The Trucking Accident Lawyers Aren’t Afraid of Court
Not all trucking accident lawyers take their clients’ truck accident cases seriously. Accidents involving commercial motor vehicles can be extremely serious. If you’re in an accident such as the aforementioned, you need an experienced lawyer who’s not afraid of a truck accident lawsuit. Some semi-truck accident lawyers would rather not file a lawsuit and go to court because trials can be long and expensive. But if you hire an experienced lawyer at Moxie Law Group, your experience will be different: our attorneys are committed to our truck accident cases–even if we have to take your case to trial to get fair compensation.
What Does a Free Consultation Look Like?
If you’ve been in a car accident or truck accident, it’s always a good idea to meet with a personal injury attorney for a free consultation. Though it may sound overwhelming, these free consultations are designed to be stress-free, fast, and easy. During a free consultation, an attorney or paralegal may review police reports pertaining to the incident, pictures of the accident scene, bills and estimates relating to your damages, and more. In the consultation, the attorney and/or paralegal may go over your options, and answer any truck accident questions you may have. At Moxie Law Group, the consultation can even be done over the phone. It really is that easy.
Car Accident? Wrongful Death? Property Damage? We’re Here for You
You don’t want to be stuck at the accident scene wondering what your next steps are. When truck accidents occur, victims have usually sustained serious injuries that have resulted in lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress. At Moxie Law Group, we understand that an accident involving a truck is not your typical car accident. And our law firm is dedicated to providing victims of such accidents the resources necessary to win the compensation they need to cover their lost wages, medical bills, and other injury related expenses. At Moxie Law Group, we’re committed to providing support to our clients from the accident scene to the settlement check or judgement. If you’re looking for a personalized touch to personal injury, meet with a truck accident lawyer today.
Not Your Average Car Accident
Since trucks are so much larger than passenger vehicles, the potential for damage is often much higher. Tragically, wrongful death can occur when proper safety precautions are neglected or ignored. When you’re dealing with a wrongful death claim, it’s important to work with an attorney who understands the delicate nature of such claims. This is particularly true when the defendant in a claim is the truck manufacturer, or other entity within the trucking industry. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, or an incident with a tractor-trailer, you need an attorney with the knowledge and experience to get you the compensation you deserve, especially when your claim includes wrongful death.
What Should You Do after an Accident?
Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do after an accident. A lot of people believe that they’re careful drivers, therefore accidents simply won’t happen to them. Sometimes, people over estimate the abilities of the other drivers on the road. In other cases, people tend to over estimate their own abilities. Regardless of the cause, many people remain unprepared for the possibility that an accident could happen to them. It’s likely due to this bias that so many people don’t know what to do at the scene of an accident or immediately after.
Is Everyone Okay?
If you’ve been in an accident, you may need to call for help. The first thing you should do is make sure everyone in your car is okay, and everyone in the other car is okay. If you, or any other party needs medical attention, you may need to call for an ambulance. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to call for help using the emergency line. Once you call the proper authorities, you can move on to the next step. Do not say that you’re not injured, even if there aren’t any signs of immediate injury. Some injuries may take days to become apparent. The other party may be reluctant to get police involved, or pressure you into keeping the police and insurance companies out of it. If there’s any possibility that you may be injured, you will need to file a claim with the insurance company in order to get compensation for your injuries.
Seek Medical Attention
If you’ve been injured, you may have a duty to mitigate the extent of your injuries by seeking medical attention. Let’s say you were in a car accident and the paramedics say you ought to go get checked out. If you refuse to follow their suggestions, and your injuries become worse, it may be more difficult for you to get the maximum compensation for your injuries. If you’ve been injured in an accident, seek medical attention as soon as you can.
Gather Estimates and Get Compensation
Personal injury settlements and judgments aren’t based on arbitrary amounts. They’re often based on the economic and non-economic injuries a person sustains. Though it isn’t necessary, it may be a good idea for you to gather evidence of your damages before your free consultation. You can gather evidence in the form of pictures, estimates, medical bills, receipts, and other sources that show the extent of your injuries and the cost of them. This can help personal injury attorneys give you more accurate information about your case.
Contact an Attorney with Moxie
If you’ve been injured and you need an attorney who will take your case seriously, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation. At Moxie Law Group, our attorneys work on contingency so you don’t pay us anything out of pocket. Instead, a portion of your settlement or judgment will cover your legal fees. No settlement or judgment? No problem: at Moxie Law Group, you don’t pay if you don’t win. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident or tractor-trailer incident, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation.