Our network of dedicated personal injury attorneys can offer unique insight and guidance in the aftermath of an 18-wheeler accident in Decatur, AL. Schedule a free consultation today.
Trucking is a high-risk profession. Drivers are always on the road, and their job requires them to take risks that others do not usually have to take. As a result, truckers need to stay alert and aware of their surroundings at all times, but unfortunately, accidents still happen.
The trucking industry is one of the most dangerous industries in the country, with an accident rate three times higher than the national average. Truck drivers are often involved in severe accidents while on the road, which can lead to everything from non-life-threatening injuries to death.
Truckers are constantly in traffic and frequently utilize interstates and highways every day. Drivers can go from a city to a rural area and back to a city again all in one day while traveling across the country.
These drivers often work long hours, leading to exhaustion, which can be especially dangerous on a highway. A crash involving a car can be bad enough, but a crash involving a semi has the potential to be much worse.
Most recognize the importance of truckers in this country, including the Decatur Police. However, for legal reasons, you may still hurt your chances of collecting compensation if you inadvertently admit fault.
If you have been in an accident involving an 18-wheeler and need access to legal representation, we can help. Mama Justice will be able to guide you through the process and get your life back on track.
The Aftermath of a Decatur 18-Wheeler Accident
After a truck crash, dealing with an insurance company is overwhelming and complicated. Talk with our Decatur truck accident lawyers today for a free consultation!
When you’ve had a bad crash, you want to be sure that the insurance company will recognize and protect your interests. Dealing with insurance agents and the Decatur police can put you at an extreme disadvantage.
When it comes to trouble with the police and insurance companies, the most important thing to do, for legal reasons, is to get in touch with a lawyer.
Attempting to gain access to the justice system in this country can be daunting and overwhelming. Do not take legal help for granted. Police and other officials are trained to recognize incriminating statements and could hurt your case if you are not adequately represented.
Mama Justice has knowledgeable truck accident lawyers experienced in truck accident cases, wrongful death claims, and personal injury cases. Whether your accident was on the highway or the interstate, enquire about your free legal consultation today!
Types of Truck Accidents in Decatur
A crash involving an 18-wheeler can take many forms. If a car is following too close in your blind spot, you may not even see them.
A typical 18-wheeler crash in Decatur will generally involve non-life-threatening injuries for the truck driver but could prove devastating to someone in a small car.
There is more than just one type of crash that can happen in these situations. The most common types of accidents are as follows:
Wide Turns
These turns typically happen when a truck driver swings the truck to the left, attempting to rotate and make a ‘right turn.’ When pulling a trailer, the semi-truck can hit another car to the right and cause a rollover.
Rollovers
A rollover crash is typically the most fatal of all truck accidents. One way this type of crash can occur is when a piece of debris is on the highway and causes the driver to swerve abruptly. The vehicle will flip over onto its side, causing the trailer to slide across the interstate.
T-Bone
This crash happens when a truck driver fails to recognize and yield to a traffic light or stop sign. This catastrophic mistake can cause a T-bone crash, triggering a collision that causes a side impact.
Under Ride
This type of crash happens when a semi-truck stops abruptly, causing a car, or an otherwise smaller vehicle, to slide under the truck’s trailer. This type of collision can be fatal, especially when high speeds are involved on a highway or interstate.
Jackknife
Occasionally a truck driver is obliged to stop his rig suddenly for whatever reason. This sudden braking can cause a dangerous, potentially fatal accident if the rig’s trailer is at an acute angle to the cab, which could happen, for example, when fast-moving traffic has to make way for the trailer.
Rear-End Accidents
The immense size and weight of semi-trucks and their loads increase the chances of this type of crash being fatal. Police and other officials see these accidents very often in the transportation industry.
Lost Loads
Commercial truck drivers carry large loads while on a transportation route. Sometimes these loads are not appropriately restrained and run the risk of coming detached and hitting a nearby car. This can also result in blocked access to a highway or interstate.
Blind Spots
Blind spots can be a deadly problem, even in a small car. When you consider the immensity of an 18-wheeler, the aftermath can be catastrophic.
A crash like this happens when the big rig makes a turn or switches lanes without double-checking its blind spots.
The Decatur police have responded to this type of incident many times. Officials can often recognize at the crash scene that they are dealing with a blind spot accident.
Head-on Collisions
Law officials and emergency workers recognize how fatal a head-on collision can be. A speeding semi-truck on an interstate can cause more than non-life-threatening injuries if it makes contact with a car.
Many types of trucking accidents can occur on a transportation route. Every type of accident needs a specific type of legal representation. No matter if you have non-life-threatening injuries or something more serious, call us for more information about how we can help. You may receive compensation to assist you in paying for vehicle repairs, lost income, and any other damages you have encountered.
Common Injuries from a Semi-Truck Accident
Tractor trailers are a lot bigger and heavier than your average passenger car. As a result, the occupants of cars tend to suffer the most severe injuries in a collision.
When called to the scene of an accident involving an 18-wheeler, the Decatur Police and other officials, unfortunately, recognize that the person in the other vehicle was likely severely injured.
Despite a truck driver’s best intentions on the highway, attempting to drive perfectly can still result in an accident. Here are some of the most common injuries from truck accidents:
Injuries from semi-truck accidents happen all too often in Decatur. The most common injuries are:
- Compound fractures and broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis (paraplegia and quadriplegia)
- Head trauma
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and soft tissue injuries
- Back injuries
- Disfigurements
- The loss of limbs
- Cuts, scrapes, lacerations
When people get injured in 18-wheeler accidents, they’re often taken to the hospital and need surgery. This usually takes at least a few days to recover.
Many people who suffer non-life-threatening injuries will still need more than just medical treatment. These injuries can also involve things like physical therapy, rehabilitation, etc.
Many accidents involving semi-trucks can lead to catastrophic injuries. A semi-truck crash victim will often suffer through issues such as broken bones and head trauma and having to navigate communicating with an insurance company. Safety cannot be overemphasized, and all drivers should do their best not to drive tired or impaired for more than just legal reasons.
What to Do if You are Harmed in an 18-Wheeler Crash
As someone pursuing accident compensation after a semi-crash, it is essential to use the time following your accident wisely for more than just legal reasons.
Deciphering your insurance policy without access to an experienced lawyer can be stressful and overwhelming. You may also have to deal with the added stresses, such as filing a report with the Decatur Police.
Our injury lawyers at Mama Justice recognize and empathize with your struggle. Submit an inquiry for your free consultation today to find out how we can proceed forward with your case. In the meantime, here are some helpful steps to take immediately following your accident.
Contact your Insurance Company
After making your initial claim, you should take the proper steps to ensure that your Insurance Company is kept up to date with any changes or developments to avoid any unwanted issues.
This not only jump-starts the process and gets you closer to a settlement, but it also will help your case to keep records on everything possible.
Do Not Delay Treatment
Undoubtedly, the most crucial action you can take after an accident is to contact a medical professional and receive treatment.
We understand and recognize that many uninsured people fear the costs they will incur for a hospital visit. However, it can be devastatingly risky to skip over receiving medical attention.
Not only could you have a severe injury, but taking time to seek assistance may save your life. Many serious injuries will not be immediately apparent, and it will take time before they become huge problems. If you have access to medical treatment, you will do well to use it.
Document Everything you can
For legal reasons and dealing with insurance companies, photos can significantly impact your case and understanding of what exactly happened during your accident.
Accidents are very jarring, and we certainly recognize that access to a camera or even just attempting to pull yourself together enough to take photos can be very hard. Do your best to assess the scene, and do not take it for granted that you will not be found liable.
You do not need to spend hours attempting to document every minor detail, but every little bit certainly helps when you are ready to contact an attorney.
Determining Liability in a Decatur 18-Wheeler Accident
The first thing an attorney will do is determine what happened during and leading up to your accident.
After that, we proceed to identify the responsible parties who contributed to the accident which caused the injuries, ensuring that our clients will receive the compensation they deserve.
Here at Mama Justice, we will immediately start building your case by gathering all available evidence at the scene of the accident. It is essential for legal reasons that we collect all available evidence possible. Some of the evidence that will be attempted to gather from the scene includes:
- Cell phone records of the drivers involved.
- Reports of the crash from the Decatur police.
- Any data recorder information.
- Statements from witnesses to the accident.
- Factors along the highway or route that may have contributed to the accident.
- Photos from the scene of the accident.
- Any available surveillance camera footage.
- Driver chemical test results to determine if impairment played a role.
The personal injury lawyers at Mama Justice are highly qualified to analyze and reconstruct accident scenes. We spend hours analyzing all possible factors that could have impacted the accident, whether on a country road or an interstate.
Maximize the Compensation that’s Available to You
If you’ve been injured in an 18-Wheeler accident, contact a qualified Decatur personal injury attorney at Mama Justice to fight for your rightful compensation.
We can assist you with compensation for several different types of damages, including:
- Lost earnings and benefits
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses
- Long-term care expenses for therapy, rehabilitation, care facilities, and more
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Vehicle repairs/replacement
- Attorneys’ fees
- Scarring and disfigurements
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Everybody should have access to quality legal representation. Hardworking people should not have to pay out of their pockets for unfounded legal reasons.
Do not deal with insurance companies or the Decatur police on your own! Our experienced Decatur lawyers aggressively negotiate total and timely compensation for every one of our clients we come in contact with.
Protect Your Legal Rights with Mama Justice
Beyond pain and loss of mobility, being injured can also mean missing time at work, which can mean falling into debt as you get behind in bills.
Injuries may also complicate physically moving between your various appointments in receiving medical treatment.
Dealing with the repercussions of injuries is difficult enough without considering things like dealing with the Decatur police, various police reports, and other obligations for legal reasons.
We believe that accident victims in Decatur should be granted the ability to focus on healing after their accidents, not dealing with police and insurance companies.
Contact a Professional Decatur Truck Accident Attorney Today!
Ensure your legal rights are protected and contact our truck accident attorneys today. We will arrange a meeting with you whenever convenient to talk over the details of your accident to assist you in obtaining justice for your injuries. Our law firm offers free consultations in Decatur. Contact our Decatur 18-wheeler accident lawyer Missy Wigginton (Mama Justice), by calling (662) 262-6264.