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Due to the size difference between a truck and a passenger vehicle, a truck accident can cause serious to even fatal injuries. Victims who survive these catastrophic accidents often find themselves away from work to recover for a very long time, with the possibility of lifelong disabilities and chronic pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident in Shelby, NC, the truck accident lawyers with Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC want to help with your recovery. A Shelby truck accident lawyer from our firm can explain your rights and options for recovering compensation.
Compensation to Help You Recover From Your Truck Accident in Shelby
As mentioned, injuries from truck crashes can be life-threatening due to the size and weight of these large vehicles. Many fatalities in truck collisions are other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists, not truck occupants. Victims who survive these collisions can face debilitating injuries.
With those injuries come high financial costs. A semi-truck accident lawyer can help you recover financially so you don’t have to stress over how you will cover your medical bills or regular financial needs during this difficult time.
Our personal injury legal team in Shelby can help you collect economic damages such as:
- Current and future medical treatment
- Physical rehabilitation
- At-home care
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning ability
- Accessibility modifications for your home or car
- A rental car
- Replacement services
- Other crash-related costs
Pain and Suffering Damages
Besides the financial losses you might have experienced due to your wreck, you may also have suffered mentally and emotionally. You might have also sustained permanent debilitating physical injuries. You are legally entitled to receive compensation for these types of non-economic losses as well. You may be able to collect funds for:
- Continuous pain
- Physical impairment
- Permanent scars and disfigurement
- Loss of limbs
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
- Reduced enjoyment of activities
- Emotional distress
- Psychological trauma
Naturally, these are very personal challenges, so we fight for very personalized compensation.
Evidence of Your Losses
To ensure you have considered all your losses, we will gather the appropriate evidence and documentation of your injuries. We gather evidence of your losses, including:
- Medical and rehabilitation bills
- Estimates for car and property damage/repair
- Lost income documentation from your employer
- Pay stubs from freelance work
- Bills for psychological services
- Receipts from crash-related expenses
Our Shelby Truck Accident Attorneys Will Collect Evidence to Support Your Case
The personal injury attorneys at our firm will investigate your case to determine the cause of the crash and identify liability. We will collect evidence of the at-fault party’s negligence. Our legal team gathers:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Photos of the wreck site
- Photos of car and property damage
- Photos of your injuries
- Witness statements
- Evidence from the semi-truck driver/company
- Transportation logs
- Drug and alcohol testing
- Social media and phone records
- Expert testimony from medical and mental health practitioners
This evidence can point to specific acts of negligence on which we can build a case. For instance, transportation logs and electronic logging devices can show a violation of hours-of-service regulations and corroborate that the operator was drowsy when driving the truck. Drug and alcohol testing can point to impaired driving, which is high in commercial drivers.
The evidence we gather can do more than highlight the negligent act and liable parties. It can also bolster our argument for your compensation by showcasing your injuries and losses. In other words, evidence can validate your case in crucial ways, so we will be thorough in our investigation of your crash.
Building a Strong Case From the Start
Building a strong case is our top priority from the beginning. Should we need to file a lawsuit to ensure you get paid what you deserve, we will be ready. This is particularly important as the statute of limitations for truck accidents in North Carolina is just three years, per G.S. §1-52.
That may seem like a lot of time until the liable insurance company starts dragging its feet on your truck accident claim or negotiations break down. That amount of time also presents an opportunity to collect and preserve evidence, an opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted.
Though we hope for a fair settlement outside of court, our law firm aims to be prepared for any scenario. Waiting too long to take legal action can be detrimental to your case. We encourage you to file a claim as soon as possible, and our truck accident lawyers serving Shelby can help you do that.
Our Team Handles Many Types of Truck Accidents
We handle truck crash cases involving a variety of large trucks, including:
- Tankers
- Dump trucks
- Semi-trucks (tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers)
- Flatbed trucks
- Garbage trucks
- Cement trucks
- Utility trucks
- Tow trucks
- Other commercial trucks (big rig or otherwise)
Our Promises to You in Any Truck Collision Case
Regardless of the type of commercial truck wreck you suffered, the team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC is committed to uncovering what happened and representing you in your claim or suit. With us, you can always count on:
- A free initial consultation and strategy session
- Regular contact to keep you in the know about your case
- Personalized approach to case valuation
- Support from a team of assistants, paralegals, and investigators
- No fees unless we win or settle your case
Truck crashes can come in many forms, but our commitment to you stays the same.
Common Truck Accident Causes
Truck accidents occur for many different reasons. Driver error accounts for 87 percent of large truck accidents, according to a causation study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Other factors can cause or contribute to accidents. Common truck accident causes include:
- Driver fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Traveling too fast for road conditions
- Tailgating (following too close)
- Substance abuse
- Vehicle malfunction
- Failing to look for vehicles around the truck
- Inadequate assessment of surroundings
Using evidence, witness testimony, and our independent investigation, we can help identify who and what caused your wreck.
Who Is Liable for Your Truck Accident?
Liability can be complex in truck accident cases. These types of collisions often have multiple potentially liable parties involved due to the nature of the trucking industry.
While the driver is the most visible party, he may be working for someone else. This means his employer would likely also be held responsible. Additionally, the fault may not lie with the truck driver at all. A third-party business partner may be to blame for your Shelby commercial truck accident. Below, we discuss who may share liability for your crash and injuries:
Drivers Who Own Their Trucks or Operators Driving for Themselves
An owner-operator will be operating under his own authority as he owns the company and meets the necessary legal motor carrier requirements. His company must have insurance and will be held liable if he caused the accident.
Motor Carrier Company
If the at-fault truck driver is an employee working for a motor carrier, the company will likely be held liable.
The Person or Company Who Loaded the Truck
If the tractor-trailer was improperly loaded or connected, and this led to or contributed to the accident, the party that loaded it would likely be held responsible. It may be the carrier company or a third party.
Another Party
A tire blowout, faulty auto part, or road defect could have contributed to your truck collision. In that case, a manufacturer, mechanic, property owner, or government entity could be held liable for some or all your expenses.
How Much Insurance Do Semi-Truck Drivers and Companies Carry?
According to FMCSA, commercial trucking companies are required by federal law to maintain insurance for wrecks. Required limits vary based on the size and payload of the truck.
- $300,000 for non-hazardous freight on vehicles under 10,001 lbs.
- $750,000-$5 million, depending on the commodities being transported
This may seem like a lot, but remember, catastrophic injuries come with extremely high bills. The lifetime medical cost of a spinal cord injury could be as much as $5 million, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC). That doesn’t include losses in productivity and income.
Because of the possibility of serious injuries and expenses, we work to identify all your options for compensation to maximize what you recover for your crash. Filing an insurance claim, holding multiple parties liable, and even seeking a lawsuit are all possible paths your case could take. We explore any choice that can bring you financial and personal relief following a wreck.
Prioritize Medical Treatment After Your Truck Accident
Truck accident injuries tend to be severe and costly. Our Shelby truck accident attorneys want to make sure they seek fair compensation that can cover your future medical expenses as well as your immediate ones. For these reasons, it is so important to see a doctor and begin treatment as soon as possible.
Establishing a definitive diagnosis is the first step in your healthcare. To reach your best possible medical recovery, though, you must obtain and follow through on your doctor’s treatment plan.
In addition to aiding in your physical recovery, our legal team can use your medical records to establish the negligence of another party when seeking fair compensation. Be aware that following your doctor’s treatment plan will be necessary not only for physical recovery but also your financial recovery. If you fail to complete your treatment plan, the at-fault party’s legal team could argue that you were not as injured as you claimed to be.
Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC for Help With Your Truck Accident Case
A Shelby truck accident lawyer at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can assist you with your personal injury claim. We’ve successfully helped countless others in North Carolina. We’ll help you hold the at-fault party accountable for their negligence by pursuing the compensation you need to heal without worry. Contact us today.
