Truck Accident Attorneys in Mobile, AL
Mobile, Alabama is the location of many interstate highways, such as rt. 165 and rt. 65. As such, the commercial trucking industry is a vital part of our economy. Consider what might occur if all large trucks were pulled off of the road: perishable goods would quickly run out in less than a week’s time, hospitals and grocery stores would be out of medical and food supplies, and the 80 percent of U.S. communities that depend on truck drivers for the delivery of various products and goods would be left stranded.
But while the trucking industry and truck drivers are no doubt essential, it’s important to note that the operation of large trucks is a dangerous business. Every year in Alabama, there are thousands of trucks involved in motor vehicle collisions, some of which leave victims with serious or fatal injuries.
If you have been in a truck accident, you do not simply have to accept your injuries and financial losses as the reality of your future. When you call our truck accident attorneys at the offices of Burns, Cunningham & Mackey, P.C., we will guide you through your financial recovery options and help you get the compensation award you deserve.
Truck Accident-Related Losses Are Significant
When a truck collides with a motor vehicle, the losses that result from the crash are often significant, and typically much more severe than damages that result from a standard passenger vehicle crash. This is primarily because of the sheer size of large trucks, which weigh more than 10 times–and up to 20 times–that of a passenger car. When a large truck and a smaller vehicle collide, the smaller vehicle may be completely crushed or totaled, which means that the vehicle occupants fare similarly, suffering absolutely devastating injuries.
Some of the most common injuries associated with a truck accident include:
- Scalp, head, and traumatic brain injuries;
- Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries;
- Internal injuries, including internal bleeding and organ puncture;
- External injuries, including lacerations, crush injuries, and limb amputation injuries; and
- Bone fractures and soft tissue injuries.
But injuries aren’t the only losses that a person involved in a truck accident may suffer. In addition to injuries themselves, a truck accident victim will likely encounter:
- Hundreds or thousands of dollars’ worth of medical expenses;
- Lost wages;
- Potential loss of earning capacity;
- Disability and impairment, which may be permanent;
- Loss of quality of life;
- Property damage expenses;
- Diminished quality of relationships and intimacy;
- Healthcare-related costs, such as rehabilitation and therapy expenses, costs associated with the renovation of a home to make it disability-accessible, and more; and
- Psychological harm, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder related to the accident and injuries.
Our lawyers believe that a person who has suffered any or all of the above deserves to be fully compensated for their harm. We work hard to build your claim, complete a valuation of your economic and noneconomic losses, and get you the settlement award to which you’re entitled.
Who Pays for Damages after a Truck Accident?
Even if there is proof that a person has suffered thousands or millions of dollars in damages, a person cannot be compensated unless there is an identifiable liable party, and that party carries a sufficient amount of insurance. Fortunately, in a truck accident claim, there are typically multiple potentially-liable parties involved, and therefore various sources of recovery available.
Examples of parties who may be held liable for your truck accident damages include:
- The truck driver;
- The trucking company;
- A third-party driver;
- The shipper or loader of cargo;
- A truck part manufacturer or distributor;
- A third party responsible for truck maintenance and repairs; or
- Even a government entity, such as a city responsible for road maintenance.
Our lawyers will open a thorough investigation into your claim that seeks to identify how an accident occurred and who should be held liable for your damages. This investigation includes traveling to the accident scene, photographing evidence (such as skid marks or road signs) and damages, sending a spoliation of evidence letter to the truck company, interviewing eyewitnesses, collecting police reports, and hiring various experts, including accident reconstruction and trucking parts and design experts.
We will also explore various theories of liability, including liability based on:
- Negligence – the failure to exercise the required duty of care;
- Negligence per se – the violation of a statute of law; and
- Vicarious liability – the liability that a supervising party/employer–in this case, the trucking company–bears for the conduct of an employee (the truck driver).
Negotiating Your Truck Accident Claim
One mistake that we see claimants who do not have legal representation make is accepting the first settlement offer that they receive from a trucking company’s insurer. While accepting a first settlement offer can be tempting (after all, most claimants want to move forward with their lives and put a claim behind them, and also are in desperate need of the cash) first settlement offers tend to be lowballed. Insurance adjusters understand claimants’ despair and distress and will typically attempt to offer them less than they deserve in hopes that a claimant will be eager to put the ordeal behind them and accept anything they can get.
When you hire our truck accident lawyers, we will thoroughly review a settlement offer on your behalf and ensure that it is congruent with the value of the damages that you have suffered. If it is not, we can reject the settlement for you and demand a counter offer. Negotiations can continue and go back and forth for weeks or months; we handle this process for you so that you can focus on your recovery.
While we make reaching a settlement through negotiations a priority, we recognize that in cases of severe injuries and damages, insurers may be hesitant to pay a claimant what they deserve. When this is the case, we will not delay in filing a lawsuit and taking your case to court if litigation is the best course of action. Our lawyers have trial experience, and have recovered millions of dollars in both jury verdicts and settlements.
Contact Our Skilled Alabama Truck Accident Attorneys for Your Free Consultation
You deserve compensation when you have been harmed in a truck accident. Our lawyers offer free consultations to all of our prospective clients, and we are happy to travel to your location (if necessary) to provide you with the legal guidance you need. To get your free case review, please call our law firm at 800-574-4332 or tell us more about your case online or in person today.
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