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Truck Accidents

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Truck Accident Lawyers in Louisville, KY

Few types of motor vehicle accidents are as severe as those involving 18-wheelers. The massive size of a big rig makes it nearly impossible for any vehicle that comes into contact with one to come away unscathed. Fortunately, when you are dealing with the physical, emotional, and psychological damage the accident has caused – whether to you or a loved one – you may find some relief by seeking financial compensation for your losses.

Wilt Injury Lawyers are passionate about protecting the rights of accident victims across Kentucky. Our injury lawyers work to determine who should be held accountable and what you will live with in the future, and they ensure that you can get the most out of your claim.

What Makes a Truck Accident Case Different from a Car Accident Case?

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety reports that, in 2021, commercial trucks were involved in 102 of the 806 fatal traffic accidents across the state.

Several factors in accident cases involving trucks make them unique:

  • The sheer size of a truck makes it more dangerous in a collision. An 18-wheeler with a full cargo load can weigh at least 20 times more than an ordinary passenger car. This means trucking accidents are more likely to result in catastrophic or fatal accidents than other types of wrecks.
  • The liability in a truck accident is often more complex. Potential defendants in a lawsuit could include the trucker, trucking company, insurer, manufacturer of certain vehicle parts, or even a mechanic who serviced the truck.
  • Commercial truckers are often in a different driving situation than non-commercial motorists. Driver fatigue, distraction by text or phone or other means, and pressure to make deadlines and possibly speed are all unfortunately common causes of accidents.

While our firm prioritizes your well-being, we recognize that one important aspect of pursuing a lawsuit is bringing accountability where it is needed. Our lawyers research all the available evidence and present a compelling claim for compensation. We strive to maximize the amount you are able to recover, whether through a negotiated settlement or a civil trial.

What Types of Injuries do Commercial Truck Accidents Cause?

Eighteen-wheelers are known for causing traumatic injuries, more so than any other type of motor vehicle accident. In fact, surviving a collision with a tractor-trailer is an accomplishment in and of itself, considering many individuals later succumb to their injuries. It is not uncommon for individuals who are involved in a truck accident to suffer from catastrophic injuries like:

  • Traumatic amputations
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Lacerations
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Bone fractures and breaks
  • Paralysis
  • Third-degree burns
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Back and neck injuries

Injuries of this nature can take months or even years to heal fully, if they ever heal at all, and many accident survivors will cope with the permanent damage for the rest of their lives. For this reason, if you have suffered a catastrophic injury in a collision with a big rig, you may want to consider speaking with one of our truck accident attorneys in Louisville or Lexington to discuss your legal options to recover compensation for your suffering.

Truck Accidents

How to Maximize Your Truck Accident Settlement

If you decide to pursue a personal injury claim, we will do everything we can to maximize the amount of your injury settlement. There are seemingly endless ways your life is likely devastated by the truck accident, and each one should be considered when calculating the worth of your Kentucky injury claim. The following is a little bit about how that works:

To increase the amount of your settlement, you’ll need to prepare to divulge information about the most traumatic ways your life has been damaged by the accident and your injuries. Maybe you haven’t been able to maintain relationships with your spouse (also called “loss of consortium”) and children since the accident, or perhaps you are now unable to work and have lost out on a sizable compensation package with your Kentucky employer.

These are just a few examples of losses you may not have considered, but they can exponentially increase the value of your claim.

Keep in mind that it is not as much the specific injury you sustained that matters; what matters is the effect that the accident and your injuries have had on your life. You have the right to be fully compensated for these damages from the person or persons who are found to be at fault.

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Who is Responsible for Your Accident?

Determining who is culpable for the cause of the accident and your subsequent injuries is an integral part of the Kentucky claims process. The issue with trucking accidents is that so many individuals and entities work on the 18-wheeler’s safety, operation, and maintenance that it can be difficult to determine where the cause of the accident actually stems.

For example, you probably assumed, at least at first, that the truck driver was to blame for your accident. Maybe you thought they were drunk or on drugs, or perhaps their aggressive driving caught your attention a few miles back before the crash. It is also possible that the trucker was too drowsy to drive or was distracted by something when the truck struck you.

Though these are among some of the most common causes of trucking accidents, many other parties could have played a part, some of which include:

  • Safety inspectors
  • The trucking company
  • Cargo loaders
  • The owner of the truck
  • Maintenance technicians
  • Parts manufacturers
  • Automakers

Your lawyer will need to carefully investigate the cause of the accident to ensure that any and all parties that contributed to causing the injuries you endured are held accountable in your Kentucky civil lawsuit.

Can I file a claim if the truck that hit me was from out of state?

Many commercial trucks travel through Kentucky as they haul cargo throughout the country. If you are involved in an accident with one, the fact that the car is registered in another state is irrelevant to your ability to file a lawsuit. As long as the tractor-trailer accident occurred in Kentucky, a civil court claim can be brought against the at-fault party.

The investigation may be slightly more difficult, but a truck from out of state has little to no bearing on your ability to be awarded full compensation for all you’ve been through. The attorneys at Wilt Injury Lawyers can explain all of this in more detail at a consultation.

Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer for my accident?

Without having reviewed the offer presented to you, we cannot say for sure what decision you should make. However, more often than not, when an insurance company makes you an offer out of the blue like that, it is usually because they are trying to get you to accept a settlement for far less than you deserve.

The temptation to accept fast cash is great for injury victims struggling to get by, and the insurer often attempts to capitalize on this. Your best option is to have your lawyer review the offer before deciding to accept or reject the settlement. Our Kentucky truck accident attorneys always have your best interests in mind.

What is the difference between economic and non-economic damages?

Economic damages are the most commonly thought of type of losses, as these focus on the monetary losses you endured, such as the healthcare expenses you’ve incurred and your loss of income.

This contrasts with non-economic damages, which have nothing to do with money. Your non-economic damages include every other way your life has been affected by the accident you were involved in. Pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, and emotional distress are a few of the most commonly sought non-economic damages.

How can we help today?

Do you have a truck accident attorney near me?

Wilt Injury Lawyers has offices in Louisville and Lexington:

Louisville Office

13113 Eastpoint Park Blvd. Suite A Louisville, KY 40223
Phone: 502-253-9110

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Lexington Office

196 W. Lowry Lane, Suite 1 Lexington, KY 40503
Phone: 859-263-8818

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