Gilbert Truck Accident Lawyers
The destructive capacity of a semi-truck cannot be overstated. In the hands of an untrained, distracted, or impaired truck driver, the consequences can be disastrous or even deadly. Gilbert motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians who survive truck accidents often emerge with expensive and debilitating injuries. Truck accident injuries can result in permanent physical impairments, cost the injured party a fortune in medical bills, and irreparably diminish their quality of life. If this happens to you or a loved one, our Gilbert truck accident lawyers are committed to helping you restore your losses as a result of the accident.
Our Gilbert personal injury attorneys have witnessed the profound impact catastrophic injuries can have on a family’s financial circumstances and general well-being. We are experienced in negotiating for the maximum compensation. Reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a free online case review today. With our team on your side, you can rest assured that your Gilbert truck accident claim will be taken seriously and handled carefully.
Why You Should Choose Our Gilbert Truck Accident Lawyers
Gilbert residents may be accustomed to sharing the road with truckers, but they are still at risk of being injured in a jackknife accident, in an underride truck accident on I-10, or a head-on crash. The Gilbert personal injury attorneys of Lerner and Rowe have handled truck accident lawsuits for injured Gilbert residents for nearly two decades.
During that time, our record of settlements and high client satisfaction rates has made us one of Arizona’s leading personal injury law firms. We try to live up to this reputation with every client we take on. Our clients know that we will persistently seek the truth to establish who was at fault, work to create a persuasive claim for damages, and determinedly negotiate for maximum compensation.
At Lerner and Rowe, we believe that our clients are not outsiders in our business, but rather an integral part of it. In accordance with this perspective, we make it a priority to keep in close communication throughout the personal injury claims process, remain mindful of your needs, and establish trust between each client and our team. Our help is efficient and effective, making our team the right choice for Gilbert clients who have been seriously injured in a truck accident.
Causes of Gilbert Truck Accidents
Truck accident scenes can be chaotic, particularly when a load has been spilled or there are multiple passenger vehicles involved. It may not be possible to determine who is at fault for causing the truck accident in the immediate aftermath, but in most cases, it can be traced back to driver error, driver impairment, or a truck malfunction. As the person operating the truck and the party physically present on the scene, truck drivers are often the focus of an investigation after a Gilbert truck accident.
Truck drivers provide vital services by transporting goods over long distances. They are also responsible for vehicles that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, leaving no room for error. However, truck driving can be an isolating and monotonous job, which can be conducive to frustration, alcohol consumption, distraction, and exhaustion.
A truck driver who is not completely focused on the road ahead of them and paying attention to dynamic traffic can easily cause a truck accident. Truck accidents may be attributable to:
- Reckless maneuvering
- Ignoring traffic laws
- Mechanical failures
- Poor road maintenance
Truck drivers are not the only potentially liable party. If they received inadequate training, were scheduled for longer hours than legally allowed, or were not thoroughly vetted before being hired, the trucking company may be found at least partially at fault for their driver’s actions. Alternatively, if the owner of the truck failed to keep it properly maintained or if the cargo loaders did not safely distribute the weight of the goods, they could also be held liable for contributing to the cause of the truck accident.
Injuries Resulting from Gilbert Truck Accidents
Severe injuries are more common in truck accidents, primarily because of the significant weight discrepancy between passenger vehicles and semi-trucks. Airbags, seat belts, car frames, and windshields can only do so much to protect occupants against the full force of an 80,000-pound semi-truck. Additionally, the weight of a semi-truck can crush or pin a smaller vehicle, leaving injured occupants trapped and without medical care. These factors contribute to the increased likelihood that a Gilbert truck accident will result in significant injuries. Examples of common truck accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Crush injury
- Whiplash injury
- Soft tissue injury
- Fractured or broken bones
- Deep lacerations
- Contusions
- Severe burns
- Dental and facial injuries
The emotional trauma of a Gilbert truck accident can constitute an injury in itself. Truck accident survivors may develop conditions like PTSD after being violently injured, trapped in a vehicle, having a near-death incident, or losing a loved one in a truck accident. Mental health issues, like depression, can also arise as a result of a painful or complicated recovery as the injured party misses out on significant experiences and adjusts to the limitations of their injury.
What Damages Are Available in a Gilbert Truck Accident Lawsuit?
Plaintiffs in truck accident claims are often seeking compensation for a number of compensatory damages due to the severity of their injuries. With more serious injuries, treatments tend to take longer, be more expensive, and be less likely to restore full function. As a result, people who have been injured in truck accidents are more likely to find themselves experiencing the costs of their injuries for a longer period. Common damages in a Gilbert truck accident include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Car repairs or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Wrongful death
The plaintiff can seek compensation for their injuries’ impact on their physical health, the monetary costs of treating their injuries and navigating their life with serious injuries, as well as the emotional losses that can accompany a catastrophic injury. Economic damages, a form of compensatory damages, acknowledge the financial ramifications of being injured in an accident.
They also encompass future losses, such as the reduced earning potential of a driver whose spinal cord injury means that they can no longer support their family as a construction worker and have to take a lower-paying job. Plaintiffs can also pursue compensation for the emotional and intangible losses they experience as a result of their truck accident injuries as non-economic damages.
Why You Need Our Gilbert Truck Accident Attorneys
In a truck accident, there are more potentially liable parties than there are in the average car accident. That means from the outset, there are more opportunities for negligent parties to attempt to avoid compensating you for your damages by shifting the blame onto one another. In the meantime, you still have to deal with the expense and stress of navigating recovery.
Our Gilbert truck accident lawyers will be qualified to conduct an investigation to determine the liable party. They will also have the necessary legal knowledge to take that evidence, create a clear argument for compensation, and negotiate strategically with the other party to settle your Gilbert truck accident claim. Additionally, insurance companies are more likely to consider your claim to be legitimate when you are represented by a personal injury attorney.
Plaintiffs who choose to represent themselves rather than hire a seasoned truck accident attorney often find themselves outmatched by the insurance company’s team and end up with a lower settlement than a personal injury lawyer could have negotiated. When your medical bills and lost wages are becoming overwhelming, you can’t afford to forgo the resources and knowledge a reputable truck accident lawyer can offer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gilbert Truck Accident Claims
I was partially at fault for causing a truck accident. Can I still recover compensation in a personal injury lawsuit?
Many drivers are afraid that they will not be able to seek the compensation they need after being injured in a truck accident lawsuit if it is discovered that they were also behaving negligently at the time of the collision. However, Arizona law observes comparative negligence, which allows a party who has been injured by another party’s negligence to pursue compensation for their damages, minus their portion of the fault contributed to the accident.
For example, say a truck driver got distracted adjusting their radio and drifted out of their lane, causing you to run into the guardrail and sustain multiple injuries. At the time of the truck accident, you were speeding. When pursuing compensation in a personal injury lawsuit, a judge decides that you were 20% negligent, and the truck driver was 80% negligent. You would be eligible to recover 80% of the value of your settlement.
I was injured in a truck accident, but I’m worried about being able to pay for medical treatment. Should I wait to go see a doctor?
Always seek medical treatment as soon as you can after being involved in a Gilbert truck accident. Your health should come first, as delaying treatment can cause serious injuries to be missed and go untreated. Your Gilbert personal injury attorney can work to ensure that you receive compensation for your medical bills and represent you to bill collectors, but failing to seek treatment risks undermining any truck accident claim you may try to pursue.
If you wait to go see a doctor, the insurance company may use this to suggest that either your injuries were not as serious as you say, or you allowed them to get worse so that you could collect a larger settlement. If the insurance company is able to provide convincing evidence to support either one of these assertions, your claim could be diminished or dismissed altogether. Do not wait to get medical help after a Gilbert truck accident.
What do Gilbert truck accident lawyers charge?
Truck accident attorneys are a type of personal injury attorney, which means that they use a contingency fee agreement with their clients. When a truck accident lawyer takes on a client, they work on behalf of that client without payment until the claim is settled. Once the truck accident claim has been settled, the attorney recovers a contingency fee out of whatever compensation is agreed upon or awarded. The industry standard is usually about a third of the total amount. If the truck accident claim does not get settled, the client does not owe the attorney anything.
Contact Our Gilbert Truck Accident Lawyers
No two truck accident claims are exactly the same, and you deserve a personal injury attorney who will pay attention to the nuance of your case. If you are considering pursuing compensation for your damages in a personal injury lawsuit after being injured in a Gilbert truck accident, you need Lerner and Rowe’s capable team on your side.
We will carefully evaluate the circumstances of the truck accident, review your medical records, and discuss the damages you have sustained to determine what your claim is worth. Our team will then relentlessly pursue a fair settlement that appropriately compensates you for your medical bills, lost wages, loss of quality of life, and other damages.
At Lerner and Rowe, we are proud to be advocates for Gilbert, Arizona residents who have been injured by another party’s negligence in a truck accident. Reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a free online case review today. We look forward to helping you navigate the path to compensation for your Gilbert truck accident claim.