If your loved one suffered a fatal injury due to someone else’s negligence, we can help seek justice for your family. We understand the painful struggle you are dealing with, creating emotional losses, missed income, and a pile of unexpected medical bills and funeral costs.
Losing a loved one in an 18-wheeler truck accident can be one of the most unforgettable events in your life, but our Gretna fatal truck accident lawyers are ready to help you fight for the compensation you need so you move forward. We want to take care of the legal aspect of your case, so you can focus on your family.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Will Be There Each Step of the Process
When you call a truck accident lawyer from our firm, we begin building our relationship and assisting you. We will listen to all your questions and concerns; we want you to feel heard. We understand what you might be going through with insurance companies. We don’t want you to have to fight them alone.
Insurance or trucking companies may take advantage of you, knowing the state you are in, and think they can give you a lower offer than what you really deserve. Hiring our personal injury lawyers serving Gretna can help ensure you have an advocate for you and your family who looks out for your interests while protecting your rights.
Our free consultation about a big rig accident in Gretna, LA, can be in person or over the phone. We want you to feel comfortable when you talk to us. The information you give us can help us help you determine your next steps.
We Fight for the Compensation Your Family Needs
To file a lawsuit and receive compensation, you must have a certain type of relationship with the deceased family member. A surviving spouse, child(ren), or parent has the right to file in cases involving negligence resulting in the loss of a loved one in Louisiana.
Damages you could recover to compensate for your loved one’s death include measurable losses and those not based on evidence but hardships, such as:
- Your loved one’s medical costs and rehabilitation costs
- Expenses for a funeral and burial or celebration of life service
- The loss of your loved one’s household earnings, benefits, and services
- The pain and suffering you are enduring because of losing your loved one
- The specific losses you are dealing with because your loved one is no longer here, such as love, companionship, guidance, and support.
Your specific relationship with your loved one factors into the compensation you could receive. Our Houma fatal truck accident lawyer will help determine the compensation available to you and your family.
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.
ClientWho Is Liable for My Loved One’s Fatal Truck Accident in Houma, LA?
When we investigate the accident, we will determine who is responsible for your loved one’s accident. We consider the weather, road conditions, truck driver actions, and how the trucking company could be liable, even the other drivers on the road.
How Truck Drivers Can Be Liable
Truck drivers can make errors that result in serious consequences that harm others. Even simple choices can cause catastrophic accidents. Common driver choices that result in accidents are:
- Speed. This is one of the biggest contributors to accidents. Excessive speed can result in drivers taking curves too fast and misjudging the speed they should be going. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states 73% of drivers state their delivery deadlines are unrealistically tight, which can also play a role in drivers’ excessive speed.
- Attention. Lack of attention, sleep, and driver distraction are also big contributors to accidents. When drivers aren’t fully focused and properly prepared for their drive, they lose the ability to control the truck. As a result, they cannot make appropriate safety decisions, which results in impaired judgment. If drivers are drowsy or tired, they can fall asleep at the wheel or be unaware of what they are doing. Drivers can also make mistakes when they are on their mobile phones, which takes their attention off the road. This can cause negative consequences that could cause life-threatening situations.
- Control. Errors drivers make in controlling the truck can result in a crash. Oversteering or understeering, overcorrecting after an error, failure to keep an appropriate distance from the vehicles surrounding the truck or responding to those around the truck, and even failure to downshift to the proper speed or braking, when necessary, can also lead to accidents.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) puts rules and guidelines in place to protect truck drivers and others on the road, such as the hours of service a truck driver can complete in a day with break requirements. But accidents can still happen.
How Trucking Companies Could Be Liable
Common causes of trucking accidents can also be related to equipment or mechanical failures, such as:
- Tires. If tires are poorly maintained, it can cause poor tread, leading to a blowout.
- Loads. Improper loading or securing of cargo can contribute to a truck rollover. Improperly attaching the trailer can also lead to a possible increased risk of jackknifing.
- Brakes. Sudden brake failure, removing or depowering of front brakes (which minimizes the expense of tire and brake wear and replacement costs) can result in drivers being unable to make adjustments to avoid an accident.
- Parts. Steering mechanisms, axle tears, and other parts that fail that can cause loss of control can all be due to the trucking company not properly maintaining the truck according to the laws and regulations they are to abide by.
We will hold the at-fault party accountable for the accident, whether that is the trucker, their employer, or other drivers. Still, we need to start our investigation as soon as possible to meet all deadlines and gather information. We generally have one year to sue in Louisiana under CC Art. 2315.2.
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 | ClientOur Gretna Fatal Truck Accident Lawyer Can Represent You – Call Today
Contact us today for a free consultation if you lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident. We want to support you through this difficult time. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Call us when you’re ready to fight for the justice your loved one deserves.
