Large trucks hauling even larger trailers are on the road all the time. If these vehicles cause accidents, many other drivers might be badly injured. Talk to a lawyer quickly if you were involved in such a crash.
Damages in truck accident cases are often very high because injuries and losses tend to be catastrophic. Injured victims might have debilitating injuries, high medical costs, and some serious mental trauma. What makes truck accidents so complex is not just the scale of these collisions but the number of parties involved. You can not only sue the truck driver but also their employer for your damages. When handling your case, your lawyer can help you uncover evidence to support your claims. Evidence from the accident scene, security camera footage, and testimony from witnesses may be crucial. Getting to work as soon as possible is important, as you only have 1 year to file a personal injury case in Tennessee.
Get a free, private evaluation of your case from our truck accident lawyers by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Damages Often Available in Oak Ridge, TN Truck Accident Cases
As one can imagine, injuries sustained in truck accidents are often very bad. Some of the more routine injuries include fractures, lacerations, and various soft-tissue injuries. Other possible injuries that might come with more long-term complications include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even the loss of body parts.
Serious injuries need serious medical attention, and such medical attention likely comes at a steep cost. Healthcare is notoriously expensive, even for people who have health insurance. Even a single day in the emergency room might cost you thousands of dollars. More extensive or long-term care might be much more costly.
While recovering from your injuries, you might find it impossible to return to your job. It is not unusual for truck accident victims to be out of work for weeks, months, or indefinitely. When this happens, people lose income, and paying for medical costs and normal living expenses becomes even harder. You can claim the value of the earnings you lose in your lawsuit.
Remember to account for your vehicle. You might need to pay for extensive repairs or an entirely new vehicle. Such costs are rarely cheap and should be included in our damages calculations.
Our truck accident lawyers can help you account for emotional and psychological distress from the crash. People who are injured in truck accidents are often deeply traumatized. Many survivors are diagnosed with conditions such as depression, panic or anxiety disorders, and PTSD. On top of all that, your physical pain from your injuries might be excruciating. Such pain and suffering might not be measured in money, but it should still be compensated and accounted for in your damages.
People Who Might Be Responsible for Truck Accidents in Oak Ridge, TN
One of the most important and sometimes challenging steps in a truck accident case is determining who should be held accountable for causing the accident. While the answer to this question might seem obvious in certain cases, the obvious answer is not always correct.
The truck driver is often primarily responsible for a truck accident. However, this is not always the case. In some accidents, the truck driver is only partly responsible, and other drivers might have contributed to the accident, making them responsible, too. For example, a truck driver might be speeding, but the car in front of them negligently brake checked them. In that case, the trucker and the other driver may be held liable for the crash.
If you are suing the truck driver for your injuries, talk to your attorney about also suing the trucking company that hired the trucker. Under the legal doctrine called respondeat superior, an employer may be held liable for injuries caused by an employee’s negligent behavior. For this rule to be applicable, the employee’s negligent behavior must be within the scope of their ordinary duties.
Uncovering Important Evidence to Use in Your Oak Ridge, TN Truck Accident Case
The key to holding the defendants responsible for the pain and injuries they caused you is evidence. Considering how large truck accidents can be, evidence might come from numerous places.
Our team can help you find security camera footage that might depict the accident. For example, a security camera at a nearby business might have recorded the entire crash. Other drivers may have had dashcams that recorded important parts of the accident. Even the truck might be equipped with cameras or dashcams that we can use.
Even without camera footage, we can use photos you and others might have taken at the scene. People often take photos of auto accidents to present as evidence to their insurance companies. These photos can also be used as evidence in a lawsuit. Your photos might contain crucial details about the accident and the people involved.
We must also talk to witnesses from the crash. Other drivers, passengers, or even pedestrians who were nearby and saw the accident can testify about what they observed. Even seemingly small details that can be backed up by witnesses can greatly strengthen your claims in court.
Many trucks are equipped with black box recording devices like those on planes. These devices record all sorts of data, like speed, brake times, and time spent driving. Such details might shed light on the driver’s behavior leading up to the accident.
How Soon After a Truck Accident Should I Speak to a Lawyer in Oak Ridge, TN?
Talking to a lawyer as quickly as possible after a truck accident would be wise because your time to file a case is very short. According to the statute of limitations found under Tenn. Code. Ann. § 28-3-104(a), you have just 1 year to file your case in court.
This deadline is very challenging and might pose serious problems. People with severe injuries might spend that long or longer just recovering from their injuries, making it incredibly difficult to file on time. Even if you are unsure whether you want to file a case, you should call our team for help and guidance as soon as possible.
Reach Out to Our Oak Ridge, TN Truck Accident Lawyers for Support
Get a free, confidential assessment of your case from our truck accident attorneys by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
