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Since seeing large commercial trucks on local roadways is fairly common, people often overlook how dangerous these large vehicles are. Collisions with 18-wheelers can crush smaller passenger vehicles and result in catastrophic, if not deadly, harm to their occupants.
If you or a loved one were harmed in a wreck involving a semi-truck, you may have grounds for legal restitution with the help of an experienced attorney. A Southampton truck accident lawyer could go over the facts of your case during a free consultation to determine if you are eligible for financial compensation.
Injuries suffered by passenger vehicle occupants in truck crashes are often substantial. These massive vehicles can quickly cause devastating or fatal harm in a wreck, often resulting in people suffering long-lasting or permanent effects from the accident.
In most cases, a collision with an 18-wheeler may result in:
Treating the physical and emotional trauma associated with semi accidents can be extremely costly. Fortunately, a hardworking attorney could help someone injured in a tractor-trailer wreck in Southampton seek full compensation for these and other losses.
When a truck driver is responsible for a crash, they can be held financially responsible for their negligence. This is because all drivers have a legal duty to operate their trucks with reasonable care and not harm others on the road. However, truck drivers are very often tired, overworked, and may be under the influence of substances that impair their ability to drive. Additionally, distracted driving is becoming a major influence in trucking collisions.
However, there are certain instances that could result in other parties being liable for a truck wreck. A seasoned local lawyer could analyze the facts of the truck crash to determine who could potentially be held responsible.
Trucking Company
A legal doctrine known as respondeat superior permits injured claimants to hold the employer of a truck driver responsible for the accident when the employee was negligent. If the negligent driver was acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the accident, the employer of the trucker may also be held responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries. This doctrine opens up a much larger source of potential compensation and better protects the claimant’s rights.
Companies may also be held responsible if the truck itself was improperly maintained or had defective parts. Additionally, if an unqualified driver is put behind the wheel, this may be grounds to hold the trucking company responsible for the negligent hiring of the truck driver.
Vehicle Manufacturers
In other cases, a defective truck part or component could be the cause of the accident. If the part was defective due to lack of maintenance, it is likely the fault of the truck driver’s employer. In other situations, the part itself could be manufactured incorrectly or designed poorly. In those case, the designer or manufacturer of the part can be held responsible through a manufacturer’s liability lawsuit.
During a side-impact semi crash, a truck comes into contact with the passenger or driver’s side doors of a car, putting everyone in the vehicle at serious risk. Also known as a T-bone wreck, these types of collisions can have permanent and deadly impacts on someone’s life.
Do not let the damages from a side-impact truck accident in Southampton ruin your life. A qualified 18-wheeler wreck attorney can help you learn more about your legal rights, and together, you can build a claim requesting compensation for your losses.
If the causing event was caused by negligence, injured parties can take Southampton side-impact trucking wrecks to civil court. To begin the legal proceedings, the plaintiff must file a claim in Pennsylvania’s justice system.
A claim is a legal document summarizing the details of the causing event and the injured party’s losses. Before their submission to a court, this document must detail the:
A claim can also include reference to evidence gathered by a third party identifying a summoned party as responsible for the T-bone truck accident in question.
A claimant must submit their paperwork within Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations if they want their case to carry forward. This statute, outlined by Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statutes Title 42 §5524, notes that individuals must submit their claim within two years of their crash taking place.
People in Southampton hurt in a T-bone semi collision may be able to recover economic and non-economic damages, and in some cases, punitive damages. They can work with an attorney to identify and classify these damages in their claims.
Economic Damages
Economic damages detail losses to which a person may easily assign a dollar value. Medical bills for severe injuries are some of the most common economic losses a person may face after a T-bone accident. Other expenses can include property damage, the cost of lost employment, and alterations made to someone’s property for their physical disability.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are harder to assign physical value to. These losses can have a major impact on an injured person and can consist of emotional trauma, wrongful death, and pain and suffering. Interested parties can work with a trusted attorney to assign these experiences a dollar value.
Punitive Damages
The losses listed above must appear in a person’s initial claim if they are to be considered by the court. That said, the court may also choose to assign punitive damages to a case that seems to be in gross violation of Pennsylvania’s duty of care. No injured party may request that punitive charges be applied to their case, but they may benefit from them should the court rule in their favor.
Side-impact big rig crashes in Southampton often involve roadway negligence. Negligence on the road breaches a driver’s duty of care for all of the people around them while they operate their motor vehicle. The violation of roadway laws such as not checking blind spots, driver fatigue, and driving while under the influence of a substance or distracted constitute as violating the roadway duty of care. In T-bone trucking accidents, a driver who forgoes their duty of care can be held liable for the losses of other involved parties.
To prove that a driver was negligent, injured parties must first show that a duty of care was owed in the first place. They should then elaborate on how the liable party violated their duty. Fortunately, a dedicated attorney can work to gather evidence on the injured party’s behalf.
Side-impact truck accidents in Southampton are dangerous to everyone involved and near the scene. These wrecks can result in long-term injury as well as wrongful death. Fortunately, people hurt in these types of collisions have the right to pursue legal action for negligent drivers.
Schedule a consultation with a local attorney to learn more about your post-accident rights. Together, you can work to find evidence of liability, an estimate of your losses, and determine your recoverable compensation. Call our office today to let our legal team address your crash as soon as possible.
A jackknife semi crash is a dangerous type of accident unique to 18-wheelers and trailers. Jackknife truck accidents in Southampton have consequences that last far beyond the incident itself. If you want to take action against the party liable for your crash, a dedicated big rig collision attorney can help. Our trusted team members can help your file for your losses and receive the compensation you deserve.
Trucks can be dangerous vehicles for a myriad of reasons. Their size, weight, and areas of visibility can all affect the safety of the drivers and the people around them. Because rigs are difficult to maneuver, their drivers have to be especially careful when on the road. Hydroplaning, overshooting a turn, or even changing lanes without looking can put other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in harm’s way.
The minute a driver loses control of their semi, they risk creating a jackknife accident. In a wreck like this, the truck’s cab turns and faces the trailer. The trailer could then block off the whole of the road the 18-wheeler was originally driving on. As the trailer shifts, it risks running into other cars. Because of this, a jackknifed trailer can easily evolve into a multi-car pile-up.
Because of the catastrophic damage they can do to other drivers on the road, jackknifes rank among the most devastating truck wrecks a driver can face. Fortunately, there are ways to respond to this type of accident. Drivers in Southampton can work with an attorney to win financial support for any losses they may have faced in a jackknifed semi crash.
To receive compensation for damages in a Southampton jackknife wreck, interested parties must submit the appropriate paperwork within the state’s statute of limitations. This documentation should include the identity of the liable party and evidence supporting the aforementioned claim.
According to Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statutes Title 42 §5524, all interested parties have two years from the day a jackknife accident takes place to submit their claims. Failure to submit a claim within this time block sees Pennsylvania courts waive the injured party’s right to compensation.
During the investigative process, an attorney can also help injured individuals formulate a legal claim against a responsible party. In a crash like this, the liable party is most often the driver. If a driver is distracted on their cell phone, intoxicated, or drowsy, they could cause a collision.
The driver’s parent company or semi manufacturer may also be at fault. A driver’s parent company may have requested unreasonable driving hours or overloaded their driver’s trailer. The 18-wheeler’s manufacturer may have similarly failed to install the appropriate truck parts or security features.
A qualified Southampton attorney can help injured parties sort through applicable evidence to identify the liable party in their jackknifed 18-wheeler collision.
Jackknifed rig collisions put multiple drivers and pedestrians at risk for injury. That is why local law strives to give injured parties the means they need to aid in their post-crash recovery.
People hurt in jackknife truck accidents in Southampton can work with diligent attorneys to build legal claim. Once you have identified a responsible party and estimated your losses, you can present your case to court and fight for compensation. Reach out to one of our representatives today to schedule your first consultation.
All types of vehicles have areas of limited visibility known as blind spots. An 18-wheeler’s trailer widens its blind spot, making it more difficult for drivers to keep track of the people around them. If a driver is negligent, they may not check their blind spots at all, putting you and your loved ones at risk.
If you were involved in a blind spot truck accident in Southampton, you and your loved ones can take legal action if you faced losses because of the wreck. A knowledgeable semi collision attorney could help you learn more about your potential compensation following a wreck.
While a driver can shift in their seat to better track their blind spot, this behavior takes their eyes off the road. Drivers have to learn how to contend with their blind spots and protect themselves, and others, on the road.
Big rigs have substantial blind spots compared to other vehicles, and their drivers cannot see cars behind them or on either side of their rear bumper. Instead, semi operators often only spot a vehicle once it has come at least halfway up the side of their trailer.
In Southampton, a semi driver’s lack of visibility makes it a dangerous vehicle to drive beside, even if the truck’s driver being attentive. Rig drivers who do not check for cars around them or who are negligent at the wheel can cause serious harm to the people around them.
Parties who wish to take legal action against a truck driver after a blind spot accident can do so with help from a lawyer. Blindspot crash attorneys in Southampton may help injured individuals calculate their losses if a big rig hit them. A qualified legal team may then gather this information, alongside additional evidence of neglect, into a claim.
Injured parties must file legal claims if they wish to request compensation for their losses after an accident. These claims must be filed within two years of the collision in question, as stated by Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statutes Title 42 §5524. If someone tries to file their claim after this deadline has passed, they will be barred from recovering any compensation for their losses.
A rig driver’s responsibility on the road is known as their duty of care. Specifically, this duty of care notes that truck drivers must abide by the rules of the road and strive to keep the people around them safe.
A duty of care also contributes to assumptions of liability after a roadway crash. If a trucker fails to abide by the rules of the road and harms another person, then they may be legally held liable for their negligence.
The Responsibilities of Other Drivers
While 18-wheeler drivers are in charge of some of the road’s most dangerous vehicles, local courts also consider the actions of other parties involved in a collision. For example, if a car in Southampton tries to illegally pass an 18-wheeler changing lanes, the rig operator might not see the car in their blind spot and crash into them. Any person who wishes to take legal action against a truck driver must prove that they did not violate any roadway laws before the wreck occurred.
Contending with an 18-wheeler wreck may feel overwhelming. Fortunately, the state of Pennsylvania works to protect every driver who takes to the road. If you are involved in a Southampton blind spot truck accident, you have the right to pursue legal action.
An experienced attorney may sit down with you to discuss the materials you need to file a semi crash claim. You can estimate your losses and your potential compensation, then present an argument for liability to a local court. Get in touch with our office to learn more about your legal options today.
Because truck drivers have to work long hours on the road, it is not uncommon for them to become tired or inattentive. If a driver was not paying attention to the road and causes a crash, you could hold them liable for your losses.
If you have questions about a distracted driving truck accident in Southampton, do not wait to reach out. Our qualified semi crash attorneys can help you submit a legal claim within the state’s statute of limitations.
The rise of cell phone use across the nation prompted several states to implement distracted driving laws. In the state, Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 75 §3316 elaborates on its expectations of rig drivers. The state notes that 18-wheeler drivers are prohibited from texting with hand-held devices while behind the wheel. This being the case, truckers are allowed to initiate and engage in phone calls without triggering a response from local law enforcement.
With this in mind, Southampton truck drivers who use their phones at the time of a crash may face serious consequences. Using a cell phone to text behind the wheel constitutes a violation of an 18-wheeler driver’s duty of care. All drivers have a duty of care to keep those around them safe while they operate their vehicle, and breaching that duty could cause a driver to be held liable for injured parties’ losses.
Other Forms of Distraction
Big rig drivers are not just distracted by their cell phones. Individuals who are eating, falling sleeping, or smoking while at the wheel can all be accused of driving while not paying attention to the road.
Parties injured in a rig accident can discuss viable forms of distraction with a hardworking attorney. An attorney can work with local law enforcement or a private investigator to determine what kind of distraction caused the wreck and what evidence the injured party may need to submit for a court to review their claim.
Anyone interested in taking a distracted truck driver to court must file a legal claim. These claims present the court with the details of the potential case, including:
In determining compensation, the filing party has the right to request an assessment of their economic and non-economic damages. If the accident appears to have involved some gross negligence on the part of a liable party, then the court may apply punitive charges to the case.
Statute of Limitations
Injured parties in Southampton who want to file a claim after an inattentive driving 18-wheeler collision have a limited amount of time to do so. All parties must have the appropriate paperwork in order within two years of their wreck. The statute of limitations is outlined by PA C.S. Title 42 §5524.
Although there are no national 18-wheeler weight legislations, it does not mean that truckers should not take extra precautions to ensure their vehicle is loaded properly. Rig drivers must abide by the weight restrictions listed on every highway they take. If they do not, they put other drivers and pedestrians at risk.
Work with an attorney to address your overloaded/overweight truck accident in Southampton. During an initial consultation, you can sort out liability and determine to what compensation you may be entitled. Call our office to learn more about your potential compensation today.
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