Nothing ruins your day more than getting into a car accident. But, at least, you can usually hope to walk away from a collision with another car. Accidents involving commercial trucks are another story.
Because of the sheer size of big rigs, when you’re involved in an accident with one, you’re likely to suffer severe injuries that change your life forever. You could face lifelong physical difficulties that impact your ability to work, earn a living, provide for your family, and live your life the way you did before your accident.
To make sure you get the best medical care possible and to give yourself the best shot of getting all of your bills covered by the person or company who caused your accident, you need the services of a trusted Wisconsin truck accident personal injury lawyer.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
While many things cause commercial truck accidents, several stand out as the most common. These include:
- Fatigue – Commercial truck drivers must keep logs of their hours behind the wheel. Not all drivers keep accurate logs. This is why some companies have instituted electronic tracking. But no matter how the driver’s hours are logged, they may suffer fatigue. Maybe they drove too much or they didn’t sleep enough. Whatever the reason, their fatigue could directly contribute to the accident that caused your injuries.
- Alcohol or drugs – Just like any driver on the road, truck drivers must not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When they do, their actions could cause an accident in which you suffer injuries.
- Truck maintenance – It’s possible that your accident was caused, at least in part, by someone other than the truck driver. The shop where the truck is maintained or the owner of the truck may have not properly inspected and maintained the vehicle. This could result in faulty brakes, tire blowouts, and other hazardous conditions. This is important to know so your personal injury lawyer can hold the right parties accountable for your injuries.
- Speeding – Speeding is a contributing factor in many vehicle accidents, including commercial trucks. When a truck violates the posted speed limit, it can cause greater harm to people in other vehicles. Because a truck is larger and heavier than a car, it takes longer to slow down, which can make it difficult for a speeding truck to avoid an accident.
- Other distractions – Distracted driving is an epidemic on Wisconsin roads. People are constantly checking their phones, eating food, changing songs, even shaving. Truck drivers are not immune to these distractions and, when they succumb to them, it can cause an accident.
These are the most common causes of commercial truck accidents. If you find yourself or a loved one in the unfortunate circumstance of being involved in an accident with a big rig, look for a lawyer who offers compassionate and aggressive legal assistance for people with personal injuries.
Truck Accident Injuries
Some of the more common, severe injuries caused by truck accidents include:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis
- Traumatic amputation or crushed limbs
- Severe orthopedic and soft-tissue injuries
- Death
Regardless of how severe your injuries are after a truck accident, you deserve to have a lawyer on your side who is going to pursue those at fault for the compensation you deserve. To make a full and complete recovery, it may take you lots of rehabilitation, medical procedures, and time away from work. That can leave you in a difficult financial situation. An attorney can help return you to stability by holding those whose actions harmed you accountable.
Holding Negligent Parties Accountable
No matter how severe your injuries are, you should not be on the hook for any of the costs associated with your truck accident injury. You didn’t cause the accident and you shouldn’t have to pay for your recovery.
A truck accident lawyer can help you recover compensation from negligent parties, so you don’t have to pay for your recovery out of your own pocket. An attorney should meet with you to get a full understanding of the circumstances surrounding your accident so that he or she can identify everyone who may have a legal liability to you for your injuries. In truck accidents, this may include:
- Truck drivers
- Truck owners
- Maintenance companies
- Truck manufacturers
By understanding your case completely, your lawyer can identify who is at fault for your injuries, and calculate the amount of money you need and deserve to receive to recover from your truck accident injuries. These commonly include:
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Home accommodation improvements
Because your injuries may be life-altering, you may not be able to work again. When you’re met with this unfortunate situation, you need to make sure you get the full value of your claim. You need to account for your costs for the rest of your life. If you don’t, then you may end up having to pay medical and rehabilitation costs out of pocket. That’s why it’s so important to work with a skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer in Wisconsin with the resources you need to help you get fair compensation for your injuries so you can make a complete recovery.
How to Pursue Compensation for Your Injuries
You should not have to face a life of financial ruin because of a truck accident caused by someone else. You deserve better.
Look for a law firm that has helped many clients just like you through some of their most personally challenging situations in life. While most cases settle out of court, you want a truck accident lawyer who will only settle if it’s the right decision for you. Hire someone who is fully prepared to take any case all the way to trial to get you the compensation you need.