Tempe Truck Accident Lawyers 

Why You Should Choose Our Tempe Truck Accident Lawyers

As Arizona truck accident lawyers with over 240 years of combined experience, it is safe to say that our team at Lerner and Rowe is equipped to negotiate even the most complex of truck accident lawsuits. We have proven ourselves time and again as investigators, communicators, and negotiators for our injured clients.

Not only have we secured billions of dollars in compensation total for clients, but we have also earned their trust. Our team operates strategically to ensure that each claim we represent has the greatest chance possible of securing fair compensation. We recognize that this is essential to holding the liable party accountable, helping the injured party access financial relief, and giving the plaintiff the peace of mind they need as they recover from their injuries.

Tempe truck accidents can range from rear-end collisions on Loop 202, to underride accidents at the intersection of Priest Drive and University, to lost-load accidents on US 60. Even truck accidents that don’t cause life-threatening injuries can leave you with a multitude of ongoing expenses through no fault of your own. The Arizona personal injury lawyers of Lerner and Rowe can provide the expert legal guidance you need to emerge with a fair settlement for your Tempe truck accident claim.

Understanding Tempe Truck Crashes

Tempe, Arizona, is between Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa with a population of 185,950. Not only is it home to Arizona State University’s main campus, but it also features Sun Devil Stadium and the major shopping attraction of Arizona Mills. Compared to other Arizona cities, Tempe’s population is more densely distributed, particularly in the northern part of the city. 

Tempe is also bordered on all sides by highways, creating multiple intersection points throughout the city for truck drivers entering and exiting the highway. This means they may be sharing streets with college students walking to class, commuters on their way to work, and tourists out to explore Tempe, which puts them at a greater risk of injury. The combination of a condensed population and proximity to Loop 101, Loop 202, US 60, and I-10 means that Tempe regularly experiences truck accidents. 

In 2023 alone, road closures were implemented in Tempe after a deputy police officer was hospitalized after being T-boned at Baseline and Rural Road by a semi-truck, an SUV driver was killed on Loop 202 after a truck driver unsafely exited a construction area, and a truck was overturned after colliding with a car on the ramp from US 60 to I-10. Truck accidents cost Tempe and other Maricopa County cities millions of dollars in economic damages in 2021 in terms of property damage, traffic control, and medical treatment. 

Common Causes of Tempe Truck Accidents

When an investigation of a truck accident is conducted, the assumption is often that the truck driver is at fault. In many cases, the truck driver’s actions are at least partially responsible for the crash. Truck drivers operate in relative isolation, navigating hundreds of miles of unfamiliar roads and spending long stretches away from their families. They are also given the responsibility of handling a massive vehicle with limited maneuvering capability alongside much smaller vehicles.

A truck driver who is in a hurry to meet a delivery deadline, becomes fatigued after a long shift, focuses their attention on a phone call instead of the road in front of them, or gets frustrated by stop-and-go traffic may be inclined to engage in poor driving habits that jeopardize the safety of other motorists, as well as vulnerable road users like bicyclists and pedestrians. In some cases, a third party is actually responsible for the crash, like if a faulty trailer hitch resulted in a lost-load accident, the manufacturer of the defective equipment could potentially be found liable. Arizona truck accident causes include:

Regardless of who the defendant in the truck accident claim is, the burden of proof is still on the injured party to demonstrate that the defendant’s negligent actions caused the truck accident that led to their injuries and damages. This begins with the plaintiff establishing that the negligent party owed them a duty of care. For example, truck drivers are obligated to use reasonable caution when navigating Tempe streets to avoid injuring more vulnerable parties. Personal injury attorneys can assist in demonstrating a defendant’s liability, which is particularly helpful when multiple parties contributed fault. 

Tempe Truck Accident Injuries 

For passenger car occupants, truck accident injuries often necessitate a trip to the emergency room due to the devastating nature of most collisions involving a semi-truck. Even with prompt medical attention, truck accident survivors may require significant time to heal from the physical and mental injuries inflicted in the crash. 

Physical injuries can require treatments like surgery, physical and occupational therapy, medication, mobility aids like crutches, and other interventions to heal the original injury, and prevent further damage or complications. Truck accidents can cause injuries like:

• Spinal cord injury
• Whiplash injury
• Disfigurement
• Soft tissue injury
• Fractured or broken bones
• Crush injury
• Amputations

• Deep lacerations
• Traumatic brain injury
• Contusions 
• Severe burns
• Dental injuries 
• Facial injuries

The trauma of the crash, the intensity and pain of treatments, and the inability to participate in their regular activities can leave truck accident survivors with emotional injuries like depression, anxiety, and even PTSD. In the case of truck accident injuries that take an extended amount of time to heal, or those that result in permanent deficits, the risk of mental health issues may be higher. With the help of your support network and medical professionals, it is wise to self-monitor for mental health problems that can arise in accident survivors.

Truck accident survivors should be medically evaluated immediately after they are out of harm’s way. This creates a record that can be used to demonstrate that your description of your injuries is consistent with the severity of your injuries as determined by a medical professional, making it more difficult for an insurance company to justify offering lower compensation than you deserve for your Tempe truck accident claim.

Damages Available in a Tempe Truck Accident Lawsuit

Truck accident injuries carry additional consequences for survivors. At the forefront of many truck accident survivors’ minds are the financial effects of being injured, which can include expenses like the costs associated with receiving medical treatment, paying for transportation in the form of rideshare services or a rental car, and missing paychecks while recovering. These are known as economic damages, as they relate to monetary losses.

For most people with extensive truck accident injuries, the costs of another party’s negligent actions can’t be entirely or accurately reduced to financial losses. The intangible losses, such as enduring a painful treatment, losing a limb, or having to miss a family reunion while hospitalized, can also have a considerable impact. Non-economic damages can account for these costs in a personal injury lawsuit. Common damages in an Arizona truck accident claim include: 

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Car repairs or replacement
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life
• Wrongful death

Why You Need Our Tempe Truck Accident Lawyers

After a Tempe truck accident, don’t simply accept the insurance company’s offer without first discussing it with a qualified personal injury attorney. There may be, and often are, multiple factors at play that an experienced truck accident attorney would know to take into consideration before agreeing to a settlement. To begin with, a personal injury lawyer will have the resources to properly investigate all possible sources of negligence and pursue compensation from the most appropriate one.

Additionally, they will be familiar with the range of damages available to you, which is essential to ensuring you receive compensation for the full scope of what your truck accident injuries have cost you physically, financially, and mentally. Once the liable party has been identified, their negligence established, and the plaintiff’s damages agreed upon, there is still the matter of assigning a monetary value to the plaintiff’s losses. 

Truck accident claim negotiations can often become contentious due to the considerable settlements most truck accident plaintiffs seek for their catastrophic injuries. The insurance company will undoubtedly have a robust team ready to support their case, and so should you. Personal injury attorneys can bring invaluable knowledge, effective communication strategies, a network of resources, and legitimacy to your Tempe truck accident lawsuit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tempe Truck Accidents

Can a pedestrian share liability with a truck driver in an Arizona personal injury lawsuit?

In order for a pedestrian to share liability in a truck accident where they were injured, they must have also been behaving negligently. For example, maybe they were jaywalking, and a distracted truck driver who had a green light failed to react quickly enough to avoid hitting them. In this scenario, both parties could potentially be considered responsible for the pedestrian’s injuries.

The pedestrian is not barred from seeking compensation for their injuries in a personal injury lawsuit. However, they will receive less than they would have if they were not partially negligent. In Arizona, the principle of comparative negligence would apply. Typically, a judge would determine what percentage of the fault each party is responsible for, and then reduce the plaintiff’s settlement by the amount of fault they contributed.

How long do I have to file a claim? Do I have to hire a Tempe truck accident lawyer first?

Arizonans have a tight window to file a personal injury claim. After a Tempe truck accident, you have 2 years to file a claim, or else you risk it being dismissed. The expectation is that by this point, you should have discovered any injuries related to the truck accident, and you have an idea of what damages you will be seeking compensation for. 

It is highly recommended that you engage the services of a personal injury attorney before proceeding with filing a Tempe personal injury claim. They will be able to ascertain the viability of your claim, handle paperwork deadlines, and gather the evidence needed to show that the defendant should be responsible for compensating you for your damages. Without the benefit of a personal injury lawyer, there is a high likelihood that your settlement will be lower than if they had represented you.

What are the different types of Tempe, Arizona truck accidents?

While truck accidents are similar to car accidents in that a frontal, side, or rear impact can cause serious harm, collisions involving semi-trucks present other threats. Due to a semi-truck’s clearance, a smaller vehicle like a passenger car can easily be crushed under the front, side, or back of the truck. If the cab of the truck runs over the vehicle, it is known as an override accident, and if the car slides under the trailer portion from the side or back, it is known as an underride accident. 

Another possible type of truck accident occurs when the truck’s cargo becomes a hazard, such as when unstable or unsecured cargo falls off the truck and into the path of other motorists. This can include things like lumber, other cars, toxic chemicals, or consumer goods. Trucks also differ from passenger cars because they are composed of a tractor and a trailer, which can become caught at an angle and make the driver lose control in a jackknife accident. The most common types of Tempe truck accidents include:

Contact the Tempe Truck Accident Lawyers of Lerner and Rowe

If you are feeling lost and overwhelmed after a Tempe truck accident, you need an experienced hand to guide you through the personal injury claims process to recover compensation for your medical expenses, reduced earning capacity, and emotional distress. The accomplished truck accident lawyers of Lerner and Rowe have nearly 20 years of service to our credit, making our team the ideal choice for Arizonans who have been seriously injured in a Tempe truck accident. 

As your personal injury attorneys, you can expect that we will do everything in our power to protect your rights, manage administrative responsibilities, offer convincing evidence of the defendant’s liability, and maximize your compensation for your Tempe truck accident claim. We are seasoned negotiators with the capacity to confront powerful insurance companies successfully. 

At Lerner and Rowe, we take our responsibility to our clients seriously, as evidenced by our record of results and glowing testimonials. We encourage you to give us a call at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a free online case review today. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of outstanding personal injury lawyers to discuss the details of your Tempe truck accident lawsuit.