GREENWOOD TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER
If you’ve been in a truck accident in Greenwood, IN, and need a lawyer, you’ve come to the right place. You may be going through a lot, including physical or psychological injury or simply anxiety about what to do. We can help.
We know that attending to the details of an insurance claim or court case are the last things you want to be doing right now. We’d like to make things easier, if possible.
This guide will help you understand how you can protect yourself in the case of a truck accident if you’re in Greenwood, IN. We’ll cover:
- Steps you should take immediately after your accident
- The differences between truck and car accidents
- Common causes of truck accidents
- Injuries that may result from a truck accident
- What compensation you may be owed
- Statute of limitations on a Greenwood truck accident
- How a Greenwood truck accident lawyer can help you
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
In the moments following a truck accident, you may be in shock. Trucks are heavier than cars, and the impact of a truck crash could be more severe than a typical car collision. If you can’t comprehend what just occurred, you may forget the vital steps to take in the direct aftermath of the accident. It’s important to document a truck accident and follow immediate steps.
If you’re in an accident take as many of these steps as you can:
- If possible, pull your vehicle over to the shoulder of the road
- In case of fuel or cargo leakage, exit the vehicle and move to a safe distance from the truck
- Call 911 and wait on the scene for responding officers
- Document vehicle damage and any incurred injuries
- Exchange information with any other insured drives involved in your accident
- See a doctor immediately to address any obvious or hidden injuries
How Truck Accidents Differ from Car Accidents
Truck accidents can prove far more complex than a normal car accident. Large trucks require a far greater stopping distance than regular vehicles, weigh up to thirty times more than standard cars, and tower above the height of cars. It’s tougher to determine the at-fault party, especially since multiple parties (for example: driver, trucking company, cargo company, freight shipper) may be held responsible, based on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
In a collision with a truck, truck cargo could spill out onto the highway, causing more vehicles to crash. A smaller car could become lodged beneath the truck, or if a truck experiences brake failure, dozens of cars could be adversely impacted by a truck accident. If a truck’s fuel tank is punctured, a large fire could ignite and affect every nearby vehicle. Truck drivers are required to cover extensive insurance that varies from regular car insurance.
There are federal laws specifically pertaining to truck accidents called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, or FMCSA regulations. Greenwood car accident attorneys without training and expertise in FMCSA regulations and truck accident cases could hurt your personal injury case. It’s important that you find a Greenwood truck accident attorney who can fight on your behalf.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
In 2018, 82% of all U.S. fatal truck accidents involved multiple vehicles. In 2017, the Indiana University Public Policy Institute reported that large commercial trucks were involved in 7% of all collisions in Indiana. Large trucks can inflict tremendous damage on any vehicles they may hit and leave occupants with severe injury. Your Greenwood truck accident could not only traumatize you, it may have ripple effects on your loved ones as well.
Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
- Malfunction of truck parts: Faulty brakes can cause major truck accidents. Because a truck has significant weight and then adds cargo, its brakes can overheat — leading to a catastrophic accident.
- Reckless Driving: It takes a truck significantly longer to slow down and come to a complete stop than it takes for a car to do the same. If a truck speeds or doesn’t maintain proper distance behind another vehicle, an accident could occur. In Johnson County, where Greenwood is located, speeding accounted for 204 major collisions in 2019.
- A lack of sleep: Long-haul truck drivers spend many hours, or even days, on the road for each drive. If they haven’t pulled off of the road to get a full night’s sleep, they may nod off behind the wheel or not operate in a fully alert manner.
- Inexperienced drivers: Some truck drivers may be new to the profession. Although rigorous training and special licenses are required to operate a long-haul or semi-truck, it takes time to become comfortable behind the wheel of a big rig. A lack of experience may lead to mistakes that cause truck accidents.
Injuries that May Result from Your Greenwood Truck Accident
After you’ve been involved in a truck accident in Greenwood, you may find yourself suffering from severe injuries. A truck accident is a traumatic experience, and any resulting injury could be eligible for compensation. Some typical injuries that result from truck accidents include:
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns
- Facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Sprains, muscle tears, or fractures
- Internal wounds
- Deep hematomas or bone bruises
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
Compensation You May Be Entitled to After a Greenwood Truck Accident
The trauma you endure after a truck accident could entitle you to compensation. Expert Greenwood truck accident lawyers can help you discover if you’re owed personal damages. At Yosha Law Firm, our sixty years of experience in handling these cases lends to our ability to relentlessly advocate for any settlement you are owed.
Some of the compensatory damages you could receive after a truck accident in Greenwood include:
- Loss of transportation: You could be reimbursed for any time you are without a vehicle as a result of your accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: If you have suffered a physical, mental, or emotional injury that reduces your quality of life.
- Medical expenses: Any procedures, medical appointments, hospital visits and stays, or prescriptions that occurred as a result of your truck accident.
- Lost wages: Any work time lost due to your accident could result in compensatory damages.
- Property damage: Damage to your vehicle as a result of your truck accident.
- Lost or reduced earning potential: If your accident impacts your ability to earn future wages, you may be entitled to compensation.
- Distress: Any documented psychological injury you may have incurred due to your accident.
Statute of Limitations
In Indiana, there is a statute of limitations on how long you have to file a claim. The time limit for personal injury or wrongful death claims is two years, though there are exceptions if the claimant was underage or disabled at the time of an accident.
Pursuing legal action after your truck accident may feel like the furthest thing from your mind. However, it’s important that you begin the compensatory process in the aftermath of your trauma. Let an experienced truck accident lawyer handle the paperwork and legal steps to start fighting on your behalf.
How a Greenwood Truck Accident Attorney Can Help You
Retaining an attorney and receiving compensation could help you move forward with your life, and begin the healing process after your accident. Truck accident cases can be emotionally and legally complex and require attorneys with expertise and training to successfully navigate. Finding a Greenwood truck accident attorney who can support you and help you find justice is important.
If you choose to work with Yosha Law Firm after your truck accident, we will transparently break down each step of the process for you. In your initial, free consultation, we will advise you on the merits of your case and help you to discern whether or not you should move forward with your claim.
Our attorneys will take the following action on your behalf:
- Determine if multiple parties are liable for your truck accident, including the truck driver, trucking company, freight contractor, or truck manufacturer..
- Negotiate any settlement with insurance companies
- Employ forensic investigators to gather evidence and eyewitness statements about your accident
- Stand as your advocate in any legal proceedings
- File a lawsuit if a settlement hasn’t been reached.
- Fight for you in case of a trial
Call Us Now for a Free Case Review
At Yosha Law Firm, we make justice for you our number one priority. We’ll help you as you seek compensation, and we work on contingency — this means that you don’t pay a retainer fee upfront. We only get paid if you receive a settlement or win your court case and receive compensation.
You don’t have to deal with the trauma of your Greenwood truck accident alone. You need dedicated attorneys in your corner. Call our firm today at (317) 334-9200 for a free consultation.
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