Cargo trucks are an integral part of commerce. These vehicles transport the goods and products we buy daily to various business establishments. Cargo truck drivers must safely share the road with regular road users, which means they must undergo strict training to operate these large vehicles.
When cargo truck drivers do not share roads respectfully, dangerous accidents may occur. According to the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS), 39 collisions caused by cargo shifts or loss led to injuries in Louisiana in 2020. In total, about six percent of all accidents in the state that resulted in injuries that year involved large trucks or buses.
If you or someone you love was involved in an accident with a cargo truck, an Andrew cargo truck accident lawyer may use your crash report and other evidence to argue why you might be entitled to financial compensation from the negligent truck driver. You can discuss your case with a member of our team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers during a free consultation.
Do Not Delay Contacting a Personal Injury Lawyer
After a cargo truck accident, you might be eligible to collect compensation from the truck driver, the driver’s employer, or the company that built the driver’s truck or its parts.
Generally, Louisiana gives injured parties just two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. According to Louisiana CC Art. §3492, the time you have to file your personal injury lawsuit starts on the day the accident occurs. If you fail to file your lawsuit on time, you may:
- Give up your right to file your lawsuit at all
- Relieve the at-fault driver of financial responsibility
- Be forced to pay your injury-related expenses out of your own pocket
If you contact our personal injury team as soon as possible, we can start investigating your case immediately and file your lawsuit on time. An Andrew cargo truck accident lawyer may help you meet the statute of limitations and take other necessary legal steps to move your case forward. Do not risk running out of time to hold the negligent driver responsible for their actions.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientYou Will Need to Obtain Documentation of Your Injuries to Build Your Case
If a large, heavy truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the collision impact can easily injure a person. They may also get injured if the truck’s cargo escaped during the crash and struck them or their vehicle. Injuries you might sustain in a cargo truck collision include:
- Head injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Severe burns
- Broken bones
- Severed limbs
Your medical records and bills may help tell the story about how you received your injuries and how much it costs to treat them. Your records might also contain details on your treatment plan, which might help your legal team estimate how much more treatment you might need to endure and its costs. Our team might be able to help you include these expenses in your demand letter for compensation.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientAdditional Documentation May Be Used to Demonstrate Accident Costs
We may use your medical records and bills to demonstrate the cost of your injuries. However, our case assessment team might also request direct deposit receipts, tax records, mechanic bills, and car value estimates to assign a value to your case. In addition to your medical bills, you might also be entitled to the financial recovery of:
- Current and future income loss
- Property repair or replacement costs
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment or disfigurement
- Mental and emotional trauma
Try to provide our team members with as much evidence as possible. Let someone on our team know if you need assistance locating or obtaining any potential evidence. We might be able to find some of the information on your behalf. Our goal is to allow you to focus on restoring your physical health while we fight for the compensation you need to recover your damages.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientObtain a Copy of Your Official Crash Report
You should also obtain a copy of your official crash report. According to Louisiana RS §32:398, a crash report is mandatory if the cargo truck accident resulted in injury, death, or more than $500 of property damage.
Our client resource team may use your crash report to find out the name and contact information of the cargo truck driver who caused the accident, their employer, and their insurance company. We may also use it to glean contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. If there was alcohol involved in the accident, your crash report may also include this information.
Your crash report might open the door to settlement negotiations by noting any traffic violations made by the at-fault driver, depicting points of impact, and sharing other evidence that points to the cause of the collision. Please provide us with a copy as soon as it becomes available.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientEstablishing Liability for Cargo Truck Accidents in Andrew
Proving fault for your cargo truck accident in Andrew will be critical if you hope to recover compensation for your damages. The most obvious potentially liable party is the cargo truck driver. Negligent cargo truck drivers have been known to cause collisions in many ways, including:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Drugged driving
- Following too closely
- Failure to stop
- Failure to yield
- Failure to use a turn signal
- Making illegal turns
- Road rage
Other Potentially Liable Parties in Your Cargo Truck Accident Case
You may be surprised to learn that the cargo truck driver may not be the only liable party in your case. Although cargo truck drivers are often found negligent in accidents of this nature, other parties could also share fault.
When cargo truck drivers are negligent, their supervisors and employers may also be held accountable. Trucking companies must do their due diligence when hiring talent. If they failed to do proper inspections or background checks or hold their employees up to the standard that truck drivers need to adhere to, these companies may be partially liable for your accident.
In addition to cargo truck drivers and trucking companies, there are still other parties who could share fault for your injuries. Some of these individuals and entities could include:
- Maintenance technicians
- Auto parts designers
- Motor vehicle parts manufacturers
- Parts distributors
- Auto dealerships
- Safety inspectors
- Cargo loaders
- The owner of the cargo truck
- Government agencies
- Municipalities
Find out who is at fault for your cargo truck accident when you contact an attorney to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of your collision.
What to Expect From the Insurance Claims Process
Filing claims with the insurance company is one of the most difficult aspects of the claims process. This is because many injury victims are surprised to learn that the insurance company is not on their side.
Insurance companies lose money every time they pay a claim. For this reason, they may look for opportunities to get away with reducing your benefits or denying your claim altogether. Insurance adjusters may request a statement and later use it against you, provide misinformation about what coverages you are entitled to, and make insultingly low offers to avoid paying you in full.
You can take steps to protect your compensation by referring the insurance company to your cargo truck accident lawyer for all information and communications.
How to Know When You Have Grounds For a Claim
It can be difficult to determine whether you have grounds for insurance or civil claims when you are still lying in an Andrew hospital bed. However, if you have reason to believe or suspect that someone else could be at fault for causing your accident, it may be worth your time to seek legal assistance.
If your injuries have had a significant impact on your life, you should not have to cover the resulting costs on your own. You may be able to make the culpable party pay for their negligence when you hire a lawyer and explore your legal options further.
Get Help from an Andrew Cargo Truck Accident Attorney Today
Maintaining or restoring your health after a cargo truck accident is likely to be your priority. While you focus on getting better, you can assign the task of managing your personal injury case to an Andrew cargo truck accident lawyer.
If you are interested in pursuing compensation from the at-fault party, contact our personal injury team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers by calling (337) 777-7777.
