Hampton Truck Accident Lawyers
Commercial truck accidents are the most destructive and deadly collisions on American roads. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over 400,000 tractor-trailer accidents occur annually, charting a mere three percent survival rate.
Commercial truck accidents are exceedingly complex, requiring experienced lawyers with the skills to handle these personal injury claims. Our Hampton truck accident lawyers at Anchor Legal Group, PLLC have the knowledge, experience, and skills you need if you or a loved one are injured by a commercial truck.
What Types of Truck Accident Cases Does Anchor Legal Group, PLLC Handle?
Fully loaded tractor-trailers can weigh in excess of 80,000 pounds, which, combined with their massive size, speeding, or insufficient stopping distance, creates one of the most dangerous and deadly types of accidents. At Anchor Legal Group, PLLC, our Hampton truck accident lawyers serve injured clients or families in numerous types of truck accidents, including but not limited to the following:
- Blind spot collisions: Commercial trucks have much more substantial blind spots than passenger cars, and vehicles in blind spots can be sideswiped, pushed into other lanes, run over, or crushed during right-hand turns.
- Blown tires: Tire tread wears quickly from the weight, frequently shredding while moving, causing the driver to lose control or scatter debris into other motorists.
- Head-on collisions: Head-on collisions involving commercial trucks are massive and typically result in life-threatening or fatal injuries for those in passenger vehicles.
- Jackknife accidents: When drivers lose control of the trailer, typically due to an empty trailer on slick roads, it can “jackknife” – swing outward at a 90-degree angle, striking cars in multiple lanes or rolling over. Jackknifing is also caused by sudden stops, high winds, or speeding into steep curves.
- Rear-end collisions: The most common accident, rear-end collisions often result in severe or fatal injuries to smaller vehicle occupants, particularly if the vehicle slides underneath the trailer.
- Rollover accidents: Rollover accidents occur when the driver loses control of the truck, usually by speeding or sharp turns; the trailer or entire truck can roll over, crushing nearby vehicles.
- T-bone accidents: Accidents involving two vehicles colliding perpendicularly are known as “T-bone” accidents and typically occur in intersections.
- Underride accidents: One of the most dangerous crashes, underride accidents occur when a smaller vehicle slips under the trailer upon collision, usually resulting in fatalities. Despite federal regulations requiring anti-underride safety guards, these accidents continue to happen.
What Causes Commercial Truck Accidents?
Determining the cause of tractor-trailer accidents can be very challenging given the level of destruction rendered by these massive vehicles, but some of the most common causes include:
- Blown tires
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Drowsy driving
- Driving during unsafe weather or road conditions
- Equipment or safety system failure
- Failure to yield or stop at lights or intersections
- Improper driving
- Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo
- Inexperienced drivers
- Poor maintenance
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Unsafe company practices and policies
- Weather
What Types of Injuries Occur in Commercial Truck Accidents?
Accidents involving tractor-trailers cause catastrophic injuries, with over 97 percent of occupants in smaller vehicles killed during the collision. Those who survive often face life-threatening severe injuries requiring extensive medical and surgical intervention, rehabilitation, and lifelong conditions or complications. In addition to death, other common injuries include:
- Amputated or crushed limbs
- Broken, fractured, and crushed bones
- Burns, both chemical, gas and fire-related
- Disfigurement and severe scarring
- Nerve damage affecting bodily functions
- Organ damage
- Partial or complete paralysis
- Permanently disabling conditions
- Psychological trauma, including PTSD
- Punctured organs due to metal, glass, or broken bones
- Severe cuts and lacerations, including internal organs
- Spinal cord injuries, usually severe
- Traumatic brain injuries, typically severe and permanent
Who Is Responsible for a Truck Accident?
Determining liability in accidents involving tractor-trailers is considerably more complex for several reasons, the most challenging being that multiple parties often share responsibility, such as:
- The driver, if driving behaviors caused the accident, such as running vehicles off the road, tailgating, excessively changing lanes, or speeding.
- The employer is often the most commonly responsible party, particularly if the truck is part of the company-owned fleet.
- The owner, if the truck belongs to a third party, which often includes an independent driver if the truck violated federal safety regulations, failed inspection, or was improperly maintained.
- The manufacturer, if the accident results due to a defective part or safety system, especially if it can be proven the manufacturer knew of the defect but failed to inform owners, issue a recall, or continue to manufacture it.
Modern technology and federal trucking regulations mandating record-keeping provide valuable and easily obtained evidentiary data. Evidence detailing the accident and potentially responsible parties can be gathered from sources such as:
- Black box data
- Braking data
- Cargo loading manifests
- Driver data, such as driving records, cell phone use, break schedules, and violation records
- Dashcam images
- Dispatch instructions
- Driving maneuvers
- Maintenance reports
- Service records
- Speed records
How Can a Hampton Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?
The injuries and fatalities caused by truck accidents commonly result in significant financial hardship, loss, and life-altering changes for individuals and families alike. Those who attempt to represent themselves quickly discover how challenging and complex the law and these types of cases present. Anchor Legal Group, PLLC has decades of experience, and our dedicated Hampton truck accident lawyers will handle your case in the following ways:
- Investigate the accident scene.
- Review police and company accident reports.
- Gather evidence and evidentiary data records.
- Interview witnesses.
- Establish your ongoing medical care.
- Hire industry experts, such as accident reconstructionist.
- File necessary documents.
- Negotiate insurance companies for maximum settlement.
- Represent you in court if the case goes to trial.
Our Hampton truck accident lawyers have earned an esteemed reputation for securing hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for clients.
What Compensation Can I Seek for My Truck Accident Injuries?
The magnitude of accidents involving commercial trucks results in catastrophic injuries and property damage. Compensation is typically considerably higher than the average car accident claims and encompasses a broader range of damages.
Compensation is based on economic damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage, and non-economic damages, such as disability, disfigurement, loss of life quality, and emotional distress.
In Virginia, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim is two years from the date of the accident or death, so it is essential to contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Our Hampton Truck Accident Lawyers at Anchor Legal Group, PLLC Fight for Victims of Commercial Truck Accidents
Accidents involving trucks often result in catastrophic and fatal injuries, staggering medical bills, and life-altering disabilities and complications. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident with a commercial truck, our Hampton truck accident lawyers at Anchor Legal Group, PLLC can help. Call us at 757-LAW-0000 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Virginia Beach, we serve clients in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg, and Eastern Shore, Virginia.
