Find Peace: Compassionate Lawyer for Commercial Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. Unlike regular car crashes, collisions with massive commercial trucks have the potential to result in life-changing trauma. If you or a loved one has suffered harm in a truck accident, you need an experienced commercial truck accident lawyer on your side.

Sokolove Law has over 40 years of expertise representing victims injured by commercial truck crashes. We fight to get our clients the maximum compensation they deserve. With a national presence and a proven history of success, Sokolove Law has the resources and knowledge to handle truck accident cases of any size or complexity. Read on to learn why we should be your first call after a truck collision.

The Severity of Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks like 18-wheelers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Their huge size means crashes involving these vehicles are disproportionately dangerous. While trucks only account for 3% of registered vehicles in the U.S., they are involved in nearly 9% of all fatal accidents.

Beyond the sheer size disparity, several other factors contribute to the elevated harm caused by truck crashes:

• Heightened Impact: The force involved in truck collisions is exponentially greater than regular auto accidents due to momentum and weight.
• Blind Spots: Trucks have large blind spots around the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle. This makes it difficult for truck drivers to see smaller passenger vehicles.
• Longer Stopping Distance: Fully loaded tractor-trailers can take 20-40% farther to stop than a typical car. This makes trucks more likely to crash into slowed or stopped traffic.
• Cargo Spills: Trucks often carry heavy cargo that can shift or spill during an accident, falling onto other vehicles and endangering lives.
• Higher Speeds: Trucks are capable of traveling at high speeds despite their size, increasing the violence of any crash.
• Fatigued Drivers: Truckers often drive for 10+ hours at a stretch, leading to driver fatigue that impairs reaction times.

Given these risks, the injuries caused by commercial truck accidents are typically much more severe or fatal compared to regular auto collisions. Sufferers may endure a lifetime of disabilities, medical complications, lost income, and reduced quality of life after a truck crash.

Understanding Commercial Vehicles

Under U.S. regulations, any vehicle over 10,000 pounds used for interstate transport of goods qualifies as a “commercial vehicle.” This encompasses a wide range of large trucks:

Tractor-Trailers: The most common type, consisting of a towing engine attached to a separate cargo trailer. Tractor-trailers range from 70 to 80 feet long overall.

18-Wheelers: Larger tractor-trailers with multiple sets of wheels for heavy loads. 18-wheelers can weigh up to 80,000 lbs fully loaded.

Box Trucks: Single-unit straight trucks meant for inner city transport and deliveries. Although lighter than 18-wheelers, these solid box-shaped trucks still pose accident risks.

Tanker Trucks: Used to haul liquids like fuel or milk. Dangerous leaks/spills can occur if tankers are breached in a crash.

Flatbed Trucks: Have an open flat trailer with no sides, meant for bulky or odd-sized cargo. Unsecured loads can easily fly off and strike other vehicles in an accident.

Garbage Trucks: Though smaller than 18-wheelers, garbage trucks weigh almost 40,000 lbs on average when full and are operated in congested urban areas.

Busses: Designed to transport multiple passengers, bus accidents can lead to mass casualties.

Even single-unit straight trucks over 10,000 lbs like box trucks qualify as commercial vehicles subject to federal safety regulations. Knowing the legal definition helps identify all potential liable parties after a truck crash.

Your Legal Rights and Potential Claims

Truck accident victims have legal rights to pursue compensation for their injuries and damages. An experienced lawyer can advocate to recover full restitution under applicable laws. Potential claims include:

Medical Expenses: All past and future medical costs associated with the accident, including hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, at-home nursing care, and prescription medications.

Lost Income: Any lost wages suffered due to missing work during recovery. May include reduced earnings if injuries impede victim’s ability to work at the same level as before.

Property Damage: Repairs or replacement cost for any vehicles or property damaged in the crash.

Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical and emotional trauma stemming from injuries. May include PTSD, depression, reduced mobility, loss of consortium, and other hardships.

Wrongful Death: Where applicable, compensation for funeral costs and lost financial support when a family member is killed.

Thorough case investigation and negotiation can maximize compensation using all available evidence. Sokolove Law handles communication with insurance companies and adverse legal teams so victims can focus on healing. We only collect attorney fees if we win compensation for our clients.

Common Causes of Truck Crashes

Most truck accidents arise from factors unique to the commercial trucking industry. Some common causes include:

Driver Error: Truckers face immense pressure to meet delivery timetables, leading to reckless driving behaviors like speeding, aggressive passing, distracted driving, and failure to check blind spots.

Driver Fatigue: Lack of adequate rest periods for truck drivers. Driving while exhausted impairs reaction times and decision making.

Drunk or Drugged Driving: Impaired truck drivers cause a disproportionate share of highway deaths. Unlike regular motorists, truckers are held to stricter standards prohibiting any measurable level of intoxication.

Improper Maintenance: Failure to properly inspect and repair mechanical defects like faulty brakes, tires, steering and suspension. Can cause catastrophic failures like detached wheels or rollovers.

Overloaded Cargo: Exceeding legal load limits stresses the truck and makes it harder to control, while heightening stopping distance.

Hours of Service Violations: Truckers are limited to 11 hours of driving per day. Excess hours on the road increase fatigue-related mistakes.

Pinpointing the specific factors that caused an accident guides legal strategy and proves liability against negligent parties like the truck driver, trucking company, parts manufacturer, cargo loader, etc. Thorough crash analysis and reconstruction provides this essential evidence.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Due to extreme impact forces, truck accident injuries tend to be severe. Common truck crash injuries include:

Spinal Cord Injuries: Fractures, paralysis, or nerve damage. Often cause permanent disabilities like loss of limb function.

Traumatic Brain Injuries: Concussions, bleeding and swelling. Can leave victims in a vegetative state or with permanent cognitive and behavioral problems.

Internal Organ Damage: Lung collapse, ruptured liver or spleen, gastrointestinal perforations. Require complex surgery and extended hospitalization.

Amputations: Crush injuries that require limb amputation. Prosthetics, rehabilitation, and disability aids are often necessary.

Burns: Fires caused by fuel spills lead to disfiguring and painful burns, as well as smoke inhalation damage.

Broken Bones: Fractures that may require metal pins, plates and screws to stabilize. Lead to extended immobility during healing.

Psychological Trauma: PTSD, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depression resulting from crash injuries.

Survivors may endure lifelong physical handicaps, chronic pain, permanent scarring, steep medical costs, and reduced lifespan even after recovering from immediate crash injuries. Adequate compensation considers the true extent of losses suffered.

How Truck Accident Lawsuits Work

Pursuing fair compensation through a lawsuit is a complex legal process. With Sokolove Law’s knowledgeable guidance, clients can focus on recovery while we handle the legal complexities. Here is an overview of how truck accident claims progress:

1. Initial Consultation: Meet with our attorneys to discuss the crash details. We gather evidence like medical records, crash reports, and employment documentation.

2. Case Investigation: Our team thoroughly examines factors like vehicle maintenance records, driver logs, weather and road conditions, and applicable safety regulations to build a liability claim. Accident reconstruction specialists may be engaged to analyze crash dynamics.

3. Demand Letter: We present a demand letter to insurers detailing your losses and legal entitlement to damages under state and federal law.

4. Settlement Negotiation: The majority of truck accident claims settle out of court. We relentlessly negotiate with insurers to secure full compensation before agreeing to any settlement.

5. Trial Preparation: If insurers refuse reasonable settlement offers, we take the case to court. Trial preparation includes deposing witnesses, retaining expert testimony, and outlining legal arguments.

6. Trial: Our seasoned trial attorneys argue for compensation before a judge and jury. Or, we can arrange for private arbitration before legal mediators as an alternative to trial.

7. Settlement/Verdict: Either a settlement is reached prior to verdict, or the jury awards damages after trial. We collect compensation and distribute it to the client after deducting attorney fees.

Timely legal help secures evidence before it degrades or disappears. Witness recollections also fade quickly. Consult Sokolove Law immediately after any truck crash for the strongest case. We conduct investigation and documentation so you can focus on recovery.

Dealing With Insurance Companies

Successfully litigating truck accident cases requires getting top dollar settlements from insurance companies. As experienced legal negotiators, we employ proven strategies to maximize payouts including:

• Demand policy payout limits from all applicable policies. This includes liability coverage from the trucking company and additional excess/umbrella policies.
• Scrutinize policy details for clauses that protect you as a claimant. Policies that are improperly structured can be leveraged to force higher payouts.
• Negotiate lien settlements with health insurers from a position of strength. We compose carefully structured releases to optimize your total settlement.
• Allow reasonable time for factual investigation before negotiating. Insurers often make quick initial offers hoping claimants will settle without a full inquiry.
• Avoid early partial settlements or piecemeal offers. Fully settling a claim terminates your ability to recover additional compensation later.

In addition to exhausted insurance payouts, compensation sources can include company assets, shareholder dividends, and commercial property or freight value. Assertive advocacy expands resources for client compensation.

Shared Liability in Truck Accident Cases

Unlike regular auto wrecks that typically involve just two vehicles, commercial truck crashes often have multiple liable parties who each bear responsibility:

The Truck Driver: Direct liability for reckless driving behaviors causing the crash. Drivers are also liable for violating safety regulations like hour limits or intoxicated driving prohibitions.

The Trucking Company: Negligent hiring, training supervision, or retention of unsafe drivers. Also responsible for encouraging violations of driving hours limits or improperly maintained vehicles.

The Vehicle Manufacturer: Defective vehicle parts that malfunction and cause crashes, like faulty tires, brakes or engines. Class action lawsuits are possible.

The Cargo Loader: Improperly distributed and overloaded cargo increases crash risks. Also liable if hazardous materials spill during the crash.

Repair Service Companies: Failure to properly diagnose and fix mechanical problems during prior service or inspections.

Government Agencies: When poor road maintenance like potholes or lack of adequate signage contributes to the crash. Government immunities usually cap recoveries.

Sokolove Law identifies ALL potentially negligent entities and maximizes recovery through strategic multiple party negotiations. Our seasoned litigators have recovered over $5 billion for clients by holding all at-fault parties fully accountable.

Choosing a Truck Accident Attorney

An experienced truck accident lawyer levels the playing field against powerful insurance companies. Consider these factors when selecting representation:

• Specialization in Truck Accidents: Retain a law firm frequently handling commercial trucking cases. This specialized expertise translates into larger settlements.
• Resources to Take Cases to Trial: Be prepared to take insurers to court if necessary. Firms without litigation experience often cannot credibly threaten trial.
• Nationwide Reach: Interstate trucking companies operate nationally. Choose a firm with the capacity to conduct multistate investigations, preserve complex evidence, and coordinate witnesses over long distances.
• History of Winning Verdicts: Look for a proven history of delivering outstanding trial verdicts and settlements. This motivates insurers to settle fairly without unnecessary litigation.
• No Upfront Fees or Costs: Beware firms that demand retainers or force clients to front case costs. Opt for contingency fee representation with zero upfront financial risk.

As one of America’s largest and most renowned personal injury law groups, Sokolove Law exceeds every criteria. Our unmatched legal firepower delivers maximum settlements.

Truck Safety Regulations and Liability

A complex web of regulations governs commercial trucking safety. Major examples include:

• Hours of Service – Limits driving to 11 hours per day, mandates rest breaks, and requires time off between long hauls. Violations are negligence per se.
• CDL Licensing – Extensive training and testing requirements for commercial driver licenses. Negligent vetting/licensing by motor vehicle departments can create liability.
• Vehicle Maintenance – Strict standards for safety inspections, load limits, tire tread, functional lights, brakes and other components.
• Drug and Alcohol Prohibitions – Far stricter than normal DUIs, banning any measurable intoxication for truckers.

We exhaustively analyze whether any safety regulations were violated as pivotal proof for your claim. Technology also plays an increasing role in litigation:

• Electronic Logging Devices – Digital devices that precisely track truckers’ driving/rest times, speed, and routes. Data overrides falsified reports.
• Onboard Computers – Monitor real time vehicle diagnostics like sudden deceleration, sharp turns and instability to prove reckless maneuvering.
• Highway Surveillance – Traffic cameras capture video evidence showing crash dynamics from multiple angles.

Sophisticated use of all data from vehicle computers, highway cameras, 911 calls, and other digital sources builds an irrefutable case.

Preparing Your Truck Accident Claim

To maximize compensation, truck accident victims should:

• Report the Crash – Immediately contact the police and cooperate fully with all law enforcement investigations.
• Seek Medical Care – Get evaluated at an ER and follow all doctors’ treatment/testing recommendations. Failure to get treated promptly casts doubt on injury claims.
• Gather Contact Info – Obtain identifying details for all involved parties including the truck driver, witnesses, trucking company, insurer, police officers etc.
• Photograph Evidence – Take ample photos of vehicle damage, injuries, roadway evidence like skid marks, weather conditions, and any hazardous cargo spillage.
• Preserve Documents – Keep any accident-related paperwork like medical bills, crash reports, insurance communications, employment records showing lost wages, etc.
• Avoid Recorded Statements – Decline any oral or written statements requested by insurers until you retain counsel. Insurers use statements against victims.

Consult Sokolove Law as soon as possible so we can initiate a comprehensive legal investigation and take all necessary steps to build your claim. Timeliness is crucial.

Sokolove Law’s Proven Approach

Sokolove Law provides relentless representation to hold negligent parties fully accountable. We are regularly called upon to handle high stakes cases other firms lack the resources to litigate against multi-billion dollar trucking corporations. Our team brings these decisive advantages:

• 70+ Attorneys – Our enormous legal team allows us to dedicate ample brainpower and manpower to each case.
• Nationwide Expertise – 10 offices across America position us to investigate crashes anywhere and attract national media attention to highlight egregious cases.
• Decades of Success – Our 50,000++ case victories and $5 billion in settlements let insurers know we have the experience and determination to win at trial.
• Cutting Edge Resources – Our in-house nurses, investigators, legal researchers and support staff provide invaluable insight and efficiency.
• ** Whatever It Takes** – We routinely invest over $100,000 per case to hire experts, process evidence, take depositions etc. Our massive war chest ensures no necessary cost is spared in pursuing justice.

Even against the most well-defended opponent, Sokolove Law has the experience and resources to build an ironclad case. We welcome the most complex challenges other firms cannot handle. Our record of surpassing client expectations speaks for itself:

• We won a $101 million verdict for a man severely burned when his vehicle was struck by a gas tanker. The responsible corporations insisted they bore no fault, forcing a lengthy court battle. Our assertive litigation held every negligent party fully accountable.
• A construction foreman was permanently disabled with a traumatic brain injury after an 18-wheeler reversed into an active worksite. Despite his profound injuries, the trucking company only offered $2 million, claiming he was at fault. We rejected their absurd offer, pursued trial, and won a precedent-setting $18 million jury verdict.
• A 7 year old girl was paralyzed from the neck down after a pickup truck slammed into her family’s minivan. The insurer fought her injury claim and delayed any fair settlement for years until our attorneys intervened. We successfully demanded policy limits of $100 million to provide for her lifelong care.

Choose Sokolove Law for the heavy legal firepower needed against callous insurers. We proudly accept cases other firms lack the boldness and resources to pursue. Contact us 24/7 for a free consultation.

Conclusion

Truck crash injuries can derail lives with excruciating medical problems, lost livelihoods, and permanent disabilities. But victims have legal rights. With an accomplished truck accident lawyer, you can hold all negligent parties fully liable to pay the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Sokolove Law has unmatched credentials, resources and a proven track record of delivering justice for truck accident victims nationwide. We understand the challenges such complex cases entail and have the tenacity, experience and firepower to prevail. Contact us today so we can start building your claim. Our consultations are always 100% free, and we only collect attorney fees if we win damages for your injuries. With over $5 billion recovered for past clients, we urge truck accident victims to choose Sokolove Law for formidable legal representation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit?

Deadlines called statutes of limitation restrict how long victims have to sue after an accident. These vary between 1-6 years depending on the state. Evidence also degrades over time, so prompt legal action is strongly advised.

What if the truck driver does not have insurance?

The trucking company’s insurance still covers damages. We also search for any other policies that may be applicable, like the driver’s personal auto coverage or umbrella policies. Uninsured claims funds are another potential recourse.

Can I still recover damages if I was partially at fault?

Most states follow comparative negligence rules, meaning you can still recover reduced damages based on percentage of fault. An attorney can help minimize any contributory blame assigned to victims. Damages are only fully forfeited if victims are deemed mostly or entirely culpable.

What if I previously accepted a settlement offer?

Insurers often pressure quick settlements before the full extent of injuries and damages are realized. However, consulting an attorney may reveal grounds to negate unfair settlements signed without proper counsel.

How much does hiring a truck accident attorney cost?

Sokolove Law handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means legal fees are only deducted from any settlement, so there is zero upfront cost for our representation. We also front all case costs rather than billing clients.