Shively Truck Accident Lawyer

Commercial trucks rule the road and are highly visible on the highways around Shively. If you are struck by one of these vehicles, you could suffer permanent injuries. Commercial vehicles like moving vans, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and dump trucks are large and heavy, and they do serious damage when they strike smaller, lighter vehicles. If you were hurt, contact Meagher Injury Lawyers today. We have the experienced personal injury attorney you need to get financial compensation following a truck collision incident.

What Causes Shively Truck Accidents?

Our clients have been hurt in a variety of truck accidents, including overrides, underrides, rollovers, and jackknives, to name just a few. And these accidents have some common causes.

One leading cause is driver fatigue. Truckers have demanding jobs. They often haul for 10 or more hours each day. The job is monotonous and can cause truckers to fall asleep. The federal government has responded to this risk by creating strict hours of service regulations that limit the amount of time behind the wheel. Still, some truckers push past these limits, and they get into collisions when they nod off.

Trucker distraction is another leading cause of collision injuries. Truckers face the same distractions as anyone else, including cell phones, which can take a trucker’s eyes off the road. The government has tried to ban hand-held devices, but many truckers are nonetheless distracted.

Other accidents stem from speeding, confusion, lack of familiarity with the area, and alcohol or drug use.

Your Legal Rights Following an Accident

Anyone hit by a commercial truck should consider whether they have a right to sue. Contact Meagher Injury Lawyers to find out more. A distracted, fatigued, or reckless truck driver that causes injury to you or a loved one should entitle you or your loved one to compensation from the truck driver’s company or insurer.  

Our clients often seek financial compensation for:

• Medical care, including future care. Truck accidents send many victims to the hospital, and victims often have surgical or rehabilitation expenses. Serious injuries could require years of medical help.
• Lost income or wages, including loss of earning capacity. Injuries are often so painful that victims cannot immediately go back to work. They lose out on desperately needed income, and they should not have to suffer financially. When injuries are permanent, they might never return to their former job.
• Pain and suffering. Injuries cause physical and emotional pain, and many of our clients can no longer enjoy hobbies or activities with their families. Constant pain makes it very difficult to sleep or maintain a positive mood.
• Property damage. A large commercial truck weighs over 10 tons. It can destroy a smaller vehicle, so you could request compensation to repair or replace your car.
• Punitive damages. In some cases, we request punitive damages to punish the defendant for intentionally injuring you or for acting with gross negligence. You can receive punitive damages in addition to the other compensation listed above.

Contact a personal injury attorney immediately. You have a right to sue but only a short window of time to do so.

Wrongful Death Involving a Truck Accident

Wrongful death in truck accidents refers to a situation where a person dies as a result of the negligence or misconduct of another person or entity. This can include truck drivers, trucking companies, or manufacturers of defective truck parts. When a truck driver is negligent, it can result in a fatal accident due to factors such as distracted driving, driving under the influence, or failing to properly maintain the vehicle.

Trucking companies also have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their drivers and other drivers on the road. This includes properly training drivers, conducting background checks, and regularly inspecting and maintaining their vehicles. When a trucking company fails to take these steps, it can lead to serious injuries.

When a wrongful death occurs in a truck accident, the family of the deceased may be entitled to financial compensation. This can include medical expenses, funeral costs, and loss of income. It can also include compensation for the emotional pain and suffering caused by the loss of a loved one.

Defendants in a Truck Accident Case

These are some of the more complex cases our legal team handles. Many different people or entities could be at fault for your collision. Here are some of the most common:

• Negligent truck drivers. If the driver was distracted or intoxicated, then he is probably at fault. Any trucker who fails to use ordinary care is legally responsible for a crash.
• Trucking employers. Kentucky law makes an employer automatically liable in certain situations, especially when the driver is working. The employer might also have independent liability for failing to perform necessary background checks or being negligent in supervising its employees.
• Truck manufacturer. If the truck was defective, then it could fail to operate properly. This would make the manufacturer liable.
• Mechanics. A mechanic might have done poor work repairing a truck or overlooked a defect.
• Loading companies. The company that owns the cargo might load it, but they could fail to secure it properly. Unbalanced cargo that shifts around can cause a truck to jackknife or rollover.

You need an experienced attorney to investigate the crash and identify all the parties at fault. We can immediately begin collecting evidence for your case, including visiting the accident scene or demanding that a trucking company preserve evidence. The more time we have, the stronger your case.

Contact Our Shively Truck Accident Attorney

Trucking companies have teams of investigators at their disposal who will quickly begin building a case against you. You need a serious legal team in your corner. At Meagher Injury Lawyers, we can hold trucking companies and their insurers accountable for accidents which injure you. Give us a call today.