D'Amico Law Offices, LLC

Call

D'Amico Law Offices, LLC

Call 412-906-8180

For A Free Consultation
Your Local Mesothelioma And Personal Injury Advocates
  1. Home
    2.  » 
  2. Motor Vehicle Accidents
    3.  » Tractor-Trailer/Truck Accidents

When Do You Need A Tractor-Trailer Truck Accident Attorney?

Accidents with large vehicles on the road like commercial trucks can cause devastating injuries. A lawsuit can help you access the resources you need to recover medically and financially. Hiring an experienced tractor-trailer truck accident attorney is one of the first steps you can take toward justice.

We at D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, are a family-run law firm. We have dedicated our careers to helping the injured feel whole again and helping surviving loved ones seek justice after a wrongful death. From our family to yours, we’re here to help.

If you need to speak with a truck accident injury lawyer, call us at 412-906-8180, or contact us online. For more information about trucking accidents and the law, read on.

Jump to:

What Causes Tractor-Trailer Accidents?

Commercial tractor-trailer truck drivers are licensed employees who should be held to high standards for their conduct on the road. However, many of the same causes of car accidents between commuters occur with truck drivers as well, including:

  • Driver fatigue due to long hours and/or inadequate rest periods
  • DUIs due to depressants (alcohol) or stimulants (amphetamines)
  • Distracted driving and failure to account for a truck’s blind spots
  • Loss of control due to hazardous weather or road conditions
  • Vehicle failures like faulty reflectors, nonfunctioning brake lights, and runaway trailers

In different scenarios, the driver individually may be at fault, or the company that employs them, or the owner of the vehicle. In some instances, responsibility may be shared between two or more parties. An experienced tractor-trailer accident law firm like D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, has the resources to investigate the cause of the crash and hold every responsible party accountable for their negligence.

What Are The Unique Dangers Of Tractor-Trailer Truck Accidents?

A tractor-trailer vehicle combines a tractor—the cab and front engine—with one or more trailers containing cargo loads. What makes tractor-trailer accidents more dangerous than other vehicular collisions like car crashes or motorcycle accidents is the cargo they carry.

Hazardous materials that could worsen your injuries include:

  • Flammable cargo: Oil, gasoline, or construction dynamite that may catch fire or explode in a crash
  • Poisonous chemicals: Solvents and chemicals in liquid or gaseous form that may cause chemical burns at the crash site or cancers years later
  • Infectious materials: Biohazardous waste or farming materials that may contain pesticides or animal contaminations
  • Dangerous loads: Logs, lumber, pipes, or beams that may go flying through a windshield or rolling over other vehicles after an accident
  • Unpredictable substances: Cargo like wet concrete or live animals can move around in unexpected ways after a crash, increasing the risk of injury for all involved

Most importantly, the weight of the freight, and how that weight is packed and distributed on a truck, can greatly influence the danger during a crash. An unstable truck is more likely to tip over or jackknife and a fully loaded commercial truck carries far more force during impact than a smaller passenger car.

These extra variables can complicate legal cases, especially if the cargo was not properly secured for transport. Call D’Amico Law Offices at 412-906-8180 if you need more specific information or immediate representation.

What Are The Most Common Injuries Caused By Large Truck Accidents?

According to the National Safety Council’s analysis of accident reporting data, large trucks accounted for 10% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes in recent years. Non-fatal truck accident injuries can be life-altering, including:

  • Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that can alter personalities and an individual’s independence and self-reliance
  • Spinal cord, neck, and back injuries that could lead to long-lasting or permanent paralysis
  • Internal rupture or impalement that may mean losing portions or whole parts of vital organs
  • Bone and limb damage that could require amputation or extensive physical therapy
  • Disfiguring lacerations, impacts or burns to a person’s face that require multiple surgeries to repair

Because tractor-trailer accident injuries can be so severe, it’s important to reach out to D’Amico Law Offices for an experienced tractor-trailer accident attorney when pursuing an injury case. We have the knowledge to account for all of the consequences of a truck accident—immediate and long-lasting, seen and unseen—and will work tirelessly towards securing you the maximum amount you’re entitled to under the law.

We at D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, have the knowledge to account for all of the consequences of a truck accident—immediate and long-lasting, seen and unseen. Our family’s firm is here to help you and your loved ones seek justice.

How Could A Settlement Or Damages Award Help You And Your Family?

A pre-trial settlement or verdict in your favor could vastly improve your future prospects and the financial health of your family. Truck accident damage awards could include coverage for:

  • Medical bills for all treatment needed, from emergency care to ongoing surgeries, therapies, or support (home care nursing or mobility aids)
  • Lost wages and employment, including benefits/opportunities like health insurance, pensions, advancements/raises, and retirement funds
  • Pain and suffering, both physical and psychological
  • Punitive damages, which are charged as an extra punishment to wrongdoers in your case, and then awarded to you
  • Wrongful death expenses like funeral costs, estate fees, and loss of income and companionship

The personal injury lawyers at D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, have the experience you require after a tractor-trailer accident. Call us at 412-906-8180 or contact us online, and we will pursue all the resources available to improve your future.

You Can Speak With An Experienced Truck Accident Attorney Today

One of the most important things you can do after a truck accident is to secure a tractor-trailer accident lawyer. This is because all states have statutes of limitations on vehicular accident cases, meaning there is a limited window of time to file suit and seek justice. While you prioritize your physical health and repair or replace your car, your attorney will also get to work preserving evidence and meeting deadlines on your behalf.

We at D’Amico Law Offices remove the burden of legal matters from your shoulders. We understand that families need time to recover after traumatic events like tractor-trailer crashes. We help support that healing process by providing you with peace of mind: as we pursue your case, we’ll keep you fully informed and make sure all your questions are answered.

You can speak to an experienced truck accident attorney today by calling 412-906-8180, or by filling out our online contact form. The time is now to secure representation after your truck accident injuries—reach out to us, and let us carry your case through the legal process.

Tractor-Trailer Truck Accident FAQs

How Does A Lawyer Prove Negligence In A Tractor-Trailer Accident Case?

There are four elements of proof needed to show negligence. In a tractor-trailer truck accident case, they include:

  1. Establishing that a duty of care was owed to you and other drivers on the road from the truck driver, their employer, and/or the truck’s owner
  2. Providing evidence that the duty of care was breached, and led to an accident
  3. Showing cause-and-effect, specifically that the breach of care caused your injuries
  4. Describing the cost of those injuries in financial terms so the court can award monetary damages

How Are Truck Accidents Different From Car Accidents?

There are two main ways truck accidents differ from average car accidents.

  1. Practical differences: Tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles are larger than cars, with different parts, tipping points, and abilities (like jack-knifing). They also tend to carry dangerous materials. All of these factors make truck accidents far more likely to cause catastrophic injuries than car accidents.
  2. Legal differences: An accident with another car usually only involves drivers, passengers, and insurance companies. A crash with a commercial truck potentially involves drivers, passengers, insurance companies, contractors, owners, and businesses. This complicates personal injury cases and may involve other factors, like intimidation from corporate entities that don’t want to pay out a fair settlement.

How Long Do I Have To Decide On Filing A Tractor-Trailer Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Each state has its own limitations on who can file personal injury suits and when. D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, is located in Pennsylvania, where the statute of limitations is two years after the date of your injury. If this deadline passes before your attorney files the necessary paperwork, it does not matter how strong your case would have been, the opportunity will have expired. Contact us as soon as possible so you don’t miss your chance for justice.

What Should I Do If The Truck Company Contacts Me Before I’ve Talked To A Lawyer?

It’s important that you do not sign anything or provide a statement to the trucking company or their insurance providers before obtaining your own representation. If you’ve been given paperwork, the attorneys at D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, will help evaluate them on your behalf. Just call us at 412-906-8180 or send us a message online to get started.