Fighting For The Compensation You Deserve After A Louisville Truck Accident
Delivery and commercial vehicle drivers, such as semi-truck drivers, always seem to be in a hurry. Many of them are multitasking at the wheel; eating, texting or using other hand-held devices while they drive. Other times they are not fully trained, are sleep-deprived or using illegal drugs to stay awake. The result of any of these negligent actions can be a serious or fatal crash.
As a Louisville truck accident victim, you are entitled to claim compensation for your financial losses and pain and suffering. But as in any other type of motor vehicle accident, you are up against insurance companies that care more about their bottom line than your health and future. At T.J. Smith, Attorney at Law, we fight to ensure that you receive what you are truly due in these crashes. Call 502-677-1429 to speak with us about what happened and understand your right to pursue compensation.
Comprehensive Representation For Truck Accidents
From the start of your case to its conclusion, you can depend on T.J. and the caring staff for skillful, results-oriented advocacy in truck crashes and motor vehicle crashes. As an established, proven and highly reputable personal injury firm, we represent people who have suffered harm as the result of:
- Delivery truck accidents
- Construction vehicle accidents
- Shuttle van accidents
- Tractor-trailer crashes
- Other types of commercial vehicle accidents
- Public transport or rideshare crashes
When we represent you, we will work tirelessly to obtain the best possible result for you. We are committed to helping our clients recover to the fullest extent possible – physically, financially and emotionally. T.J. Smith and the staff will work diligently to help you obtain the compensation that can make a positive difference in your life.
What Can Kentucky Drivers Do To Avoid Being Involved In Truck Accidents?
Drivers in Louisville, and throughout Kentucky, regularly share the roads with commercial vehicles. Unfortunately, collisions frequently occur involving these large trucks and other, smaller vehicles, often resulting in serious injuries and death for those involved. While not all truck accidents are preventable, there are steps people can take to help ensure their safety when sharing the road with truckers.
Be Aware Of Blind Spots
Like many other vehicles, semitrailers have blind spots, or areas where truck drivers cannot see other automobiles and objects. Located on both sides, in the front and in the rear, these spots are much larger on trucks due, in large part, to the size of the vehicles. As such, it is recommended that people avoid traveling in commercial trucks’ blind spots for extended periods. The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety points out that if drivers cannot see truckers’ faces in their side-view mirrors, then truckers cannot see them.
Allow Ample Stopping And Following Distance
Many people are unaware that large trucks need a significantly longer stopping distance than other vehicles. Consequently, truck drivers may not be able to stop to avoid crashing if a car stops suddenly in front of them. Thus, it is suggested that people allow tractor-trailers plenty of room to stop.
To do this, drivers should avoid tailgating and refrain from slowing down when changing lanes in front of them. Motorists may also find it helpful to avoid pulling into a lane in front of a truck until they can see their headlights or the whole front of the vehicle in their rearview mirrors.
Watch Out For Right Turns
Commercial vehicles do not handle like they are just bigger trucks. Sometimes, truckers may have to swing their vehicles wide to the left in order to make a right turn. When maneuvering semitrailers, truck drivers may not see vehicles that are squeezing between them and the curb. As such, drivers are advised to avoid doing this and to allow commercial vehicles additional space to turn.
Be Aware Of Gusts
Commercial vehicles may create wind gusts, especially when traveling at high speeds on the highway. This type of turbulence can easily jolt and jostle smaller vehicles. The American Automobile Association suggests that motorists keep both of their hands on their vehicle’s steering wheel when they are passing large trucks or are being passed by them. Taking this step may help them avoid losing control of their automobiles.
Investigating Your Truck Accident To Protect Your Rights
In truck accident cases, time is of the essence. The trucking company will waste evidence as quickly as possible to avoid having to pay money to the accident victims or their families. In many cases, the company will have its own lawyers flown by helicopter to the accident scene so they arrive at the same time as the police.
This means the other side is putting its defense together before you even get out of your car. To combat this, you need a knowledgeable legal team on your side as well. The first thing T.J. will do is order the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records and investigate the truck driver in order to ferret out any underlying problems in the trucking organization. He will look at:
- The truck driver’s logbooks
- The truck driver’s past safety violations and tickets
- The number of hours the driver spent on the road
- Any mechanical problems with the truck
- The company’s history of safety violations
T.J. and his network of top-flight experts will also take prompt action to preserve any evidence. This includes black box data, vehicle maintenance logs and much more.
At the Louisville law firm of T.J. Smith, Attorney at Law, we are here to take immediate action on your behalf. We will investigate the truck accident, document the negligence of the other driver or other parties and place a value on the full amount of your economic and noneconomic losses.
What Should Compensation Cover?
In a personal injury claim, compensation should cover the entire cost of the financial consequences of the accident. This includes current and future expenses of medical procedures, lost income, loss of earning potential, property damage and even the cost of either renovating a home or relocating to accommodate the disabilities from an injury. Compensation should also pay for noneconomic costs, like pain and suffering, loss of life enjoyment, loss of consortium (loss of a deep relationship) and denied life opportunities.
What Mistakes Can Jeopardize A Claim?
When a victim pursues an injury claim, even saying the wrong thing can cost them in the long run. Mistakes can include:
- Talking to the liable party’s insurance company without a lawyer
- Posting online about the accident
- Not seeing a doctor after an accident
These mistakes and others can all result in an accident victim missing out on the full value of their injury claim. No one should have to manage their health and their personal injury claim on their own after an accident. Our skilled Louisville truck accident lawyer can act on your behalf to help you maximize the compensation you receive by identifying the full value of your compensation, negotiating for that figure, collecting necessary evidence and minimizing the time it takes to earn your fair and full settlement.
Aggressive Representation And Proven Results
We aggressively represent victims of commercial vehicle accidents. Over the past three decades, truck accident attorney T.J. Smith has recovered more than $235 million for clients. We know that money is a big issue, but we also understand your need for quality medical care. Our goal is to make sure that you have the resources and connection to care you need to heal as fully and quickly as possible.
Often, the medical expenses incurred and lost wages suffered as a result of accident injuries put further strain on people during an already difficult time. Depending on the circumstances, however, the trucker, or trucking company responsible for causing the accident may be held liable. Working with an experienced injury lawyer can help victims of a crash understand their rights and their options for obtaining financial compensation.
Schedule A Free Consultation With A Louisville Truck Accident Lawyer
To discuss a truck or commercial vehicle accident case with an experienced and committed lawyer, call attorney T.J. Smith and his staff at 502-677-1429. We help injured clients throughout the Louisville area and across the state of Kentucky. You can also set up your free appointment by sending us a message through our contact form.