Large commercial trucks like semis and tankers are an everyday sight on Tennessee’s roadways. While they perform an essential function in our economy by hauling goods and materials from place to place, they also are regularly involved in serious accidents that often leave victims with extremely severe injuries. Fortunately for victims, commercial trucking companies are required to carry substantial insurance policies, so victims who are injured in accidents caused by the negligence of truck drivers or others involved in the industry can often recover compensation for their injuries.

Obtaining Compensation after a Truck Accident Can Be Complicated

In a perfect world, victims of truck crashes caused by the negligence of others would be able to obtain compensation for their accident-related losses with minimal effort. In reality, however, the fact that insurance companies make money by paying out as little as possible on each claim they receive means that victims often have trouble getting the compensation to which they are entitled under the law.

Because trucking company insurers are looking for any way they can to minimize or deny your claim, it’s important for victims to take steps to protect their legal rights. Some of the most important of these are discussed below. For more information, call our office today to speak to an experienced Nashville truck accident attorney.

Gather Basic Information about Your Accident

If you are not severely injured and can stay at the scene of the accident, collect as much information about your accident as you can. Examples of the kinds of things you should note include the names of the drivers involved in the accident, the company responsible for the operation of the truck, and the weather conditions at the time of the crash.

Seek Medical Attention

Anyone who has been involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle (or any accident, for that matter) should undergo a complete medical evaluation conducted by a medical professional. It’s important both for your health and also to develop documentary evidence regarding your injuries for any personal injury claim you eventually make.

Retain an Experienced Attorney as Soon as You Can

Finally, it’s highly advisable to retain an experienced attorney as soon as you can after you’ve been involved in a wreck with a commercial truck. While you are unrepresented by counsel, it’s highly possible that you could say something to the insurance adjuster that could hurt your case. In addition, it’s critical to start investigating your accident as soon as possible, as any delay could result in losing evidence that is critical to the success of your case.

Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Nashville Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been involved in a commercial truck in the Nashville area, you should contact the lawyers of Bednarz Law today. We will review the facts of your case at no cost to you and only collect legal fees if we win your case. To schedule a free case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer in Nashville, call our office today at 615-590-7276 or contact us online.

When injured victims come to us after a truck accident, they understandably have many questions. Here are some answers to the questions we hear most often from truck accident victims. For more information or to discuss the specifics of your case with a Nashville truck accident attorney, call our office today.

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Truck Accident?

If you have never dealt with a commercial accident before, the fact that a business is involved may make things seem confusing. In general, companies who employ truck drivers (even as independent contractors) can be held liable for accidents caused by the driver they employ. This is usually a good thing for victims, as companies tend to have insurance policies with much higher limits than individuals.

How Much is My Truck Accident Case Worth?

Truck accidents can leave victims with substantial losses, including astronomical medical expenses, lost income, damage to their vehicle, physical and emotional pain and suffering, and lost quality of life. It’s not surprising, then, that victims are anxious to know how much they will be able to recover. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to provide an estimate of the value of a truck accident claim without conducting a thorough analysis of the individual circumstances of a given case. Some of the factors that will affect how much you recover for your truck accident case include:

• Your age
• The severity and extent of your injuries
• Your prognosis
• Your income
• Whether you were partially at fault for your accident

Will My Truck Accident Case Go to Court?

There’s no way to know how a case is going to be resolved until it’s over. Settlement negotiations can break down in the minutes before a victim is planning on signing a settlement agreement, and a case can settle in the midst of contentious litigation. That said, it’s instructive to keep in mind that the vast majority of personal injury cases – including truck accident cases – are resolved out of court.

Do I Need to Retain an Attorney?

It is always advisable to retain a lawyer to represent you after a truck accident. Insurance companies are savvy and experienced, and adjusters typically have no problem taking advantage of victims who do not fully understand their rights or know what their cases are worth. When you retain an attorney, you even the playing field and can rest assured that your rights will be protected during the entire process of getting the compensation to which you are entitled under the law.

Call Bednarz Law Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Nashville Truck Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, it’s imperative that you call a lawyer as soon as you can. At Bednarz Law, we will review the facts of your case at no cost to you and advise you as to whether we believe you have a claim. If you choose us to represent you, you will never pay us a cent unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf. To schedule a free case evaluation, call us today at 615-590-7276 or contact us online.

After a truck accident, you may wonder whether you need to hire an attorney. No matter what type of injuries and losses you suffered, it is always worth it to speak with a lawyer about a possible case. Case evaluations are free of charge, so you have nothing to lose by simply making the call. In addition, there are many benefits to have an experienced truck accident law firm on your side.

Determining Liability

In order to know who can be responsible for your injuries and losses, you must identify which parties were negligent or who can be held legally liable for other reasons. For example, if a truck driver caused a crash because they were speeding excessively, the truck driver was negligent. However, the trucking company that employed the driver may also be held strictly liable for the negligence of the driver. This is only one example of how liability for a truck crash can be complicated.

Trucks are complex machines – significantly more complex than passenger cars. The trucking industry also involves a wide range of regulations and requirements that do not apply to non-commercial drivers. For this reason, pinpointing the exact cause of a crash is often difficult and will involve a thorough investigation. Having a lawyer who already understands how the trucking industry works can be highly beneficial, and it can save time and other resources.

Calculating Your Losses

When you think of your losses from your truck accident, you likely first consider the pile of medical bills that you face and the income you lost when you could not go to work. However, if you only consider these losses, you are likely grossly underestimating the value of your claim. A skilled attorney will know how to examine your situation and include all of your losses in your claim, so that you can seek the maximum compensation you deserve. Such losses can include:

• Medical bills
• The costs of medical treatment you will need in the future
• Wages you already lost
• Lost earning ability for the future
• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental trauma
• Permanent injuries
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Dealing with Insurance Companies and Legal Teams

A truck accident insurance claim is never easy. You can bet the trucking company’s insurance company and legal team will do anything they can to limit your claim. Having an attorney ready to advocate for your rights and the settlement you deserve can make the process go faster and smoother, relieving the stress from you so you can focus on your injuries and recovery.

Contact a Nashville Truck Accident Attorney Who Can Protect Your Rights

The truck accident lawyers at Bednarz Law know how to stand up for victims of serious truck crash injuries. We have the resources to fight for your rights in the most complicated cases. Please feel free to contact us online or call our Nashville office at 615-256-0100 or our Hendersonville office at 615-590-7276 for more information. You can also reach out to us.

Tractor trailers, semi trucks, and other big rigs are massive machines, comprising tens of thousands of pounds of metal. Due to their large size and bulk, when truck accidents occur, it is often other motorists on the road who suffer the most severe injuries.

These accidents often occur due to the negligent and reckless actions on the part of the driver or the trucking company involved. These companies have teams of lawyers working to defend them against claims, which is why you need our experienced Nashville truck accident attorneys on your side.

Get the Compensation You Need for Truck Accident Injuries

According to statistics from the Tennessee Department of Safety, more than 1,500 truck accidents occur in Nashville and throughout Davidson County each year. These types of crashes can impact multiple lanes on highways and roads, and often involve numerous other vehicles. Regular motorists and their passengers risk suffering serious serious injuries in these crashes, which often include:

• Dislocated joints and multiple fractures;
• Severe cuts, lacerations, and burn injuries;
• Crushing injuries, causing the loss of limbs and damage to internal organs;
• Back and neck injuries, including those impacting the spinal cord;
• Head injuries, resulting in concussion, skull fractures, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

In even a minor collision, the injuries you suffer can cause lasting disabilities. Unfortunately, trucking companies and their insurers may attempt to deny your claim or to get you to settle for far less than what you will actually need to cover your current and future medical costs and lost wages. This is why you need an aggressive, experienced Nashville truck accident attorney on your side.

Holding Trucking Companies Accountable

Truck accidents are complex events and there are often numerous factors which cause them to occur. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) states that the following are among the most common causes:

• Reckless behavior on the part of the driver, such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence;
• Lack of proper driving training;
• Improperly loaded cargo, which can cause a driver to lose control;
• Poor truck maintenance, such as underinflated tires and faulty brakes.

In these situations, both the driver and the trucking company can be held accountable for the injuries you suffer. However, with the resources these companies often have at their disposal, you need someone with the right combination of knowledge and experience to investigate your case, gather evidence in your favor, and negotiate with these companies on your behalf.

Bednarz Law is Here to Assist You

When you are facing injuries that have the potential to impact your health and well being for years into the future, you need a strong legal advocate on your side. You only have one chance to get the compensation you are entitled to in a truck accident claim. Reach out and contact Bednarz Law to request a consultation with our Nashville truck accident attorneys today.

The damage that results from a trucking accident can be severe. Indeed, when a vehicle weighing approximately 80,000 pounds and a vehicle weighing approximately 4,000 pounds collide, the smaller vehicle is often completely destroyed, and anyone within the smaller vehicle is left with severe injuries.

Reducing the number of truck accidents that occur in Tennessee is a top priority, and starts with understanding the primary causes of these crashes. Here’s what you should know.

Truck Drivers

Truck drivers, and truck drivers’ errors, are one of the leading causes of trucking accidents, as reported by a Large Truck Causation Study published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. While the study is a bit dated, it highlights common driver errors that lead to crashes, including:

• Falling asleep;
• Driving while inattentive or distracted;
• Driving too fast for conditions;
• Using prescription drugs;
• Making an illegal maneuver;
• Driving while impaired by alcohol;
• Driving aggressively;
• Misjudging the speed of other vehicles;
• Panicking; and
• Overcompensating.

While the above focuses on the errors of truck drivers, the operators of passenger cars are often guilty of the above behaviors (and other negligent acts), and contribute to truck collisions as such. For example, driving within a truck driver’s blind spots, tailgating, cutting a truck off, engaging in “squeeze play,” passing a truck on the right rather than the left, etc. are all examples of dangerous driver behaviors that increase the risk of a trucking accident.

Cargo Shifts

Sometimes, truck drivers or other drivers on the road aren’t to blame for truck accidents; an accident occurs as a result of a cargo shift, which throws off the truck’s balance and impairs the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. Cargo shifts are typically caused by the improper loading or securement of the cargo, although an inherent risk or defect with the cargo could be to blame (i.e. a dangerous material that combusts under force or with movement).

Other Factors that Cause Trucking Accidents

Other factors that contribute to truck accidents might include:

• Truck and truck part errors, such as defective tires, brakes, or engine; and
• Hazardous road conditions, ranging from poor weather to animals on the road to potholes to improper signage and more.

Sometimes, the trucking company is to blame for the truck accident, as they may have failed to maintain or repair trucks, properly trained their driver, or may even have pressured the truck driver to violate federal hours of service requirements, greatly increasing the risk of fatigued driving and therefore an accident.

You Deserve to Be Compensated if You Are Injured

If you have been involved in a trucking accident in Tennessee, you deserve to be compensated for the harm that you have suffered. At the offices of Bednarz Law, our aggressive truck accident attorneys will work hard to make sure that you have the legal representation that you deserve after a crash. To increase your chances of getting compensation, call us today or send us a message to schedule a free case consultation.