While accidents on the road may range from mild to severe, truck accidents are more often incredibly serious and dangerous. Injuries and damages might be substantial, and you should speak to a lawyer about a potential lawsuit immediately.
Truck accidents often stem from driver negligence, like speed. They might also stem from loading errors made when cargo is placed in the trailer. Driver fatigue is a serious issue in the trucking industry that has caused numerous accidents. Evidence to back up your claims for damages might include data from block box devices on the truck, witness testimony, and videos or photos from the accident and aftermath. Damages in truck accident cases are often very high, with medical bills, property damage, pain, and emotional suffering being extreme. With so much on the line, making a mistake is not an option. You should hire a seasoned attorney who can help you navigate the complex legal procedures involved in getting your case to court.
Speak to our truck accident lawyers by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 and schedule a free case review to begin your legal action.
What Causes Truck Accidents Around Jackson, TN?
Truck accidents have numerous potential causes. It is normal for plaintiffs to be unsure of how their accident occurred when they first speak to an attorney. Many accidents are traumatic, and plaintiffs have a hard time remembering all the details. Your lawyers can work with you and law enforcement officials to determine the nature of the crash.
A very common cause of many truck accidents is speed. When truckers drive at high rates of speed, they put other drivers at serious risk. Trucks cannot stop quickly, and if a trucker slams their brakes for whatever reason, they might swerve or even tip over on the road. Jackknife accidents occur when a speeding trucker hits their brakes, but the trailer does not slow down as fast as the truck, and the truck is pushed to the side into traffic while the trailer swerves outward.
Accidents have also been known to stem from improperly loaded cargo. This tends to be a problem with trucks hauling very heavy cargo that must be loaded in a specific way to help the trailer balance. If cargo is improperly loaded or unsecured so it slides around in transit, an accident might happen.
One of the biggest problems in the trucking industry today is driver fatigue. Truck drivers are known for making very long trips without stopping to rest. As such, there are many tired truckers behind the wheel. Sometimes, they doze off on the road, and severe accidents occur.
How to Find Evidence to Use in a Truck Accident Case in Jackson, TN
Evidence is the backbone of your case. Your attorney can help you find and obtain the evidence you need to support your claims and hopefully get you the compensation you deserve. A good place to begin looking for evidence is the scene of the accident.
What many people do not realize is that trucks are often equipped with recording devices, sometimes called “black boxes,” similar to those found on planes. These devices record all kinds of information about the trucker’s driving, including braking times, speed, and time spent on the road before stopping to rest. Our truck accident lawyers can get this data and review it to see what the driver was doing leading up to the accident. If the driver was speeding or braked very suddenly, the data will tell us.
Witnesses are extremely important in many truck accident cases. While physical evidence and data can be compelling, having your story backed up and substantiated by others lends your claims much needed credibility. Witnesses might have been people who saw the accident occur or people with personal knowledge that is otherwise relevant to the case.
If you were able, you might have snapped some photographs and recorded videos of the accident scene while waiting for emergency responders. Your pictures and videos might be very powerful evidence. Often, these records are the only things left that depict the accident scene, as accidents are often cleared away very quickly by law enforcement.
How Much Are Damages Worth in Jackson, TN Truck Accident Cases?
A question asked by many potential plaintiffs when beginning a truck accident claim is about how much money their case might be worth. This is an important question to ask, as plaintiffs need to cover their damages. The answer varies from case to case, but truck accidents as a whole tend to involve significant expenses and damages.
Economic damages are calculated based on the money you lost or spent because of the truck accident. Between hospital bills and property damage, the final cost of an accident might be astronomically high. On top of that, there is a good chance you took time off from your job to recover from your injuries. The income you lost should be added to your overall damages.
Non-economic damages are less concrete and far more subjective than economic damages. While economic damages are based on money lost, non-economic damages are derived from painful experiences. As such, they tend to be highly personal and open to interpretation by the jury. You might claim emotional distress, physical pain, and psychological conditions like depression or PTSD.
There might be several ways in which the jury calculates your non-economic damages. Since these damages do not come with a price or predetermined value, the final calculations are left up to jurors. Your attorney can help you find evidence of your damages to convince the jury your compensation should be significant to accurately reflect your suffering and pain.
Speak to Our Jackson, TN Truck Accident Attorneys About Starting a Legal Claim for Damages
Talk to our truck accident attorneys by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 and set up a free claims assessment to begin your legal action.
