Truck accidents are incredibly destructive events. For starters, a big commercial truck or 18-wheeler can cause a lot of damage to roads, motor vehicles, and anything caught in the general area. More to the point, truck accidents almost invariably result in incredibly severe injuries for all parties involved, especially the occupants of smaller motor vehicles. Your injuries are likely to require intensive medical treatment and long-term care, which can get quite expensive. Even with sold health insurance policies, many victims of truck accidents may worry about whether they will be able to deal with their medical bills, let alone all the other problems that come after a truck accident.
Luckily, our lawyers can help you out. Our experienced attorneys have represented truck accident plaintiffs in the past, and now we are ready to represent you. We know how to build a strong case and will make sure that you sue the right parties and have competent, professional representation all the way through.
For a free case review with no obligation, call our truck accident attorneys from Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Causes of Truck Accidents in Cookeville, TN
There are countless causes of truck accidents. However, it is very important to the success of your case that our truck accident lawyers can establish the cause of your accident. In court, you can only collect damages from defendants who are proven to have caused your injuries, so nailing down the specific cause of your particular accident can help sift through parties that would just be dead weight to include in your lawsuit.
Truck Drivers
The first party you will probably think about bringing to court is the truck driver. After all, they were in the most direct control of the truck at the time of the accident. Truckers can cause accidents in all the same ways as other drivers. They can get distracted by their phone, ignore stop signs and other road signage, run red lights, speed, or drive drunk. Additionally, truckers have extra responsibilities, such as following hours of service regulations put forth by the FMCSA. These rules and regulations are in place to make sure that truckers do the safest best practices while out on the road. If a trucker has ignored these rules, you can sue them in court for your injuries.
Trucking Companies/Employers
In addition to suing the driver, there is also a good chance that you will be able to sue a truck driver’s employer. Under the legal principle of “respondeat superior,” which translates to “let the master answer,” employers are liable for the negligent acts of their employees. Therefore, if an employee does something bad, their employer could be on the hook for their actions. However, there is a catch. The employee must be doing something related to their job in order for the employer to be liable. For example, if a truck driver hits you on the way to deliver a package, the employer will be liable. However, if that same trucker hits you while on their way to their friend’s house to play video games all day, their employer will not be liable because that activity is not related to the employee’s job.
Truck Manufactures
If a problem with the truck itself caused your accident, you are able to sue the truck manufacturer for their defective product. There are two kinds of defects: manufacturing defects and design defects.
Design defects occur inherently in the vehicle. They are problems that will arise in the ordinary course of the use of the truck. An example of a design defect would be a gas tank that ignites its contents when the truck starts up. Manufacturing defects, on the other hand, are mistakes that are made in the construction or maintenance process of the truck. An example of a manufacturing defect would be the use of substandard materials in crucial parts of the vehicle which cause them to fail.
Poor Road Conditions
Sometimes, the problem is not with the truck or the driver, but with the road. Potholes or defunct guardrails can cause truck accidents, too. In these cases, you sue the entity responsible for road maintenance. Usually, this is a government entity. There are special rules for the timetable for suing local governments, so be sure to speak with our truck accident lawyers if you think this applies to you.
Damages in Cookeville, TN Truck Accident Lawsuits
When you sue someone in court, you ask the court to compel them to pay you damages as compensation. Damages are tied to the value of the harm the defendant caused to you. They relate directly to your experience in the truck accident. Some of the things you ask for will be clearly tangible, while other items will be ephemeral or esoteric, so they need to be argued for in court.
The more obvious items you may ask for in damages would include the cost of medical expenses and treatment. The intensive care and long-term treatment for injuries sustained in truck accidents can get very expensive. Accordingly, if the defendant caused your injuries, you can have the court compel them to pay these costs.
You can also get damages for lost income from the time you spent off work while you recovered from the injuries.
Other things you ask for compensation for may not be as clear-cut. For example, you can get damages based on your physical pain. There is no bill for how much a bone fracture or bruise might hurt, so you will have to argue the worth of these damages in court.
Talk With Our Cookeville, TN Truck Accident Lawyers
Howe Law’s truck accident attorneys can help with your case when you call (844) 876-4357.
