Unsafe trucking company practices have contributed to a 40% increase in large truck fatal crashes since 2009, and a 62% increase in large truck injury cases during that same time. Large trucks have longer braking distances and times, and can weigh roughly twenty times more than a passenger car. When the two collide, bad things happen: on average, every two hours another American is killed by a large truck. Yet most truck drivers are qualified professionals who take pride in their jobs. What is going on?
Some trucking companies can push their drivers to work unreasonable hours and to try to meet unrealistic delivery schedules. Overworked, tired truck drivers, unstable loads, and unsafe vehicles are some of the chief causes of these preventable crashes. Truck driver fatigue has been cited as a probable factor in up to 40 percent of crashes involving large trucks. Sometimes trucking companies hire substandard drivers, fail to supervise them properly, and sometimes keep drivers that do not meet the grade.
When a commercial truck is involved in a collision, the deck gets stacked against occupants of the car almost immediately. Every large trucking company has a damage control team on the scene within 24 hours to start to put together the truck company’s defense. The corporation’s risk department, hired experts, and legal counsel are already working to defend the corporation while the survivors are in the hospital or the victims are taken to the funeral home.
An individual or family trying to seek justice against a commercial trucking corporation and its insurance company, lawyers, and defense team does not have to take on that challenge alone. Attorneys who represent survivors and families of victims should be experienced in the complexities of federal trucking laws and regulations, the kinds of evidence and records that are uniquely available in commercial truck crash cases, and how to put together a successful legal case. If you think you have a truck collision injury case, feel free to contact us right away.
The Right Lawyer CAN Make All the Difference after a Semi-Truck Crash
Our personal injury lawyers know how to build a case with the right facts and evidence, helping to secure the futures of families across Oregon. There’s no up front cost to you, and we don’t get paid unless you do.
A settlement or verdict in favor of an injured person takes into consideration multiple harms and losses, such as:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Pain
- Future care needs
- Disability and limitations
If the case goes to trial, a jury may sometimes also award punitive damages, meant to punish the responsible party for reckelessly endangering the lives of others. On average, injury survivors who have an attorney nearly triple the amount of money they get from insurance than those who do not, according to the Insurance Research Council.
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The Corson & Johnson Law Firm has earned the highest recognition for professional excellence and ethical conduct, including being named in the U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms. Attorneys at the firm have been named in Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and Don Corson is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The Corson & Johnson Law Firm has been named by Expertise as one of the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Eugene.
Don Corson – Founding Partner
WHAT TYPES OF LOSSES CAN YOU RECOVER FOR A SEMI-TRUCK ACCIDENT?
If you are the survivor of a semi-truck accident, the types of damages that you can recover might include:
Medical and hospital bills for your past and future treatment
Ambulance, EMT, and ER care
Full diagnostic costs including emergency room treatment
Physical therapy and long-term rehabilitation needs
Psychological care, post-traumatic stress care
Damage to your vehicle; costs of replacement or repairs
Physical pain, emotional trauma and suffering, and limitations on ordinary life activities because of injuries
Pain and suffering, emotional trauma, limits to lifestyle because of injuries
Inability to work, lost past and future income
Many semi-truck crash survivors only factor in their direct past financial losses and might miss out on other important valuable compensation that they need and deserve. Our Eugene, Oregon semi-truck accident lawyers thoroughly study all the laws and kinds of payments that each survivor may claim. We do a comprehensive review to try to make sure that each person we represent receives the full amount that they deserve.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF TRUCK ACCIDENT CASES?
Examples of truck accident cases include:
A truck driver is speeding to cover more distance in a day. Because of excessive speeds, the driver isn’t able to stop for a traffic jam, and you are hit and injured.
The company that ships the load with the trucking company doesn’t have to secure the materials for safe travel. As a result, the truck is unstable and the driver cannot control it.
Despite strict laws that apply to commercial drivers, a semi-truck driver gets behind the wheel while intoxicated and causes a crash.
The truck driver doesn’t take road conditions or the weight of the vehicle into account. The driver is unable to control the truck as it travels downhill, causing a collision.
When hiring a new driver, the trucking company doesn’t properly check with previous employers as part of the driving history check. The company hires a driver with a poor driving history. The driver continues to drive poorly and eventually causes a wreck.
At the time you’re hurt in a truck accident, you may not know the causes. The only information that you might know is that there was a crash. One of the ways that our semi-truck accident attorneys provide outstanding representation is to investigate the potentially multiple causes of a collision. The legal team at The Corson & Johnson Law Firm works to determine who is at fault and why, then we work to hold that party accountable for your losses.
How Should I Handle A Call By The Trucking Company’s Insurer After a Semi-Truck Accident?
You have no obligation to the trucking company’s insurer to provide information after an Oregon semi-truck collision.
It is best to politely decline to speak with the insurance company’s adjuster and refer the caller to your attorney. Your case may be adversely affected by anything you say or do.
The adjuster has a singular objective: to minimize the amount that must be paid by the insurance company. They may sound friendly and inquire after your health and recovery in order to initiate a conversation, but their interests are 100% adverse to yours.
Insurance company adjusters are trained negotiators who are experienced in settling as low as possible. They look out for the trucking company’s interests, only. It is a good idea that you enlist an Oregon semi-truck accident attorney to protect your interests in dealing with the other side’s insurer.
What Happens in an Oregon Truck Accident Investigation?
An experienced Oregon truck accident attorney will gather evidence by thoroughly investigating the crash, the physical evidence, the photographs, the witnesses, the 911 call, the police report, any DOT investigation materials, the trucking company, the truck driver, and any other factors or party that could have contributed to the accident.
The attorney will formally request that the trucking company preserve key evidence. Later, they request relevant documents from the trucking company and its driver.
The truck accident lawyer will typically review the driver’s logs, truck maintenance and inspection records, and (if available), data from the truck’s electronic on-board recorder and any company electronica monitoring data. They will also interview people who know about your losses, and gather your medical records and bills from the collision.
This evidence gathered can often be used to build a compelling case to demonstrate that the party that caused the truck accident was negligent and that their negligence was the cause of your injuries and losses.
