Lafayette Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can cause severe injuries and fatalities to the occupants of passenger vehicles and often lead to complex lawsuits. If you were injured or lost a loved one in a truck wreck, our firm’s Lafayette truck accident lawyer could help you pursue a settlement to cover your expenses.

Call the Lafayette personal injury lawyers of Laborde Earles today to schedule your free consultation. You may be entitled to damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. After a crash, take the pressure off yourself by allowing one of our experienced attorneys to handle your case.

Our firm has recovered over $1 billion for clients, and our lead attorney has been invited into the Top 100 Trial Lawyers Association. There are no fees unless we win your case.

Our Lawyers Have Won Several Multi-Million-Dollar Settlements

Our team of truck accident attorneys has over 350 years of combined experience that we are ready to put to work for you.

Our financial recoveries for our clients are highlighted in the following table:

Type of Accident	Type of Financial Recovery	Amount
Injured 18-wheeler driver	Judgment	$7 million
Commercial truck accident victim	Settlement	$2.7 million
Semi-truck operator	Settlement	$1.8 million
Commercial vehicle accident victim	Trial Verdict	$1.75 million
Truck accident claim victim	Settlement	$1 million

Many personal injury cases settle out of court. We are ready to take your case to trial if we cannot agree with the other party. No one should pay out of pocket for expenses due to the negligent actions of another person. If your life was interrupted by a truck accident, our lawyers are here to help.

Why You Need a Lafayette Truck Accident Attorney

A Lafayette truck accident injury attorney can handle the complex nature of commercial trucking accident claims and ensure your case is handled efficiently and correctly. Here are the main reasons to consider legal representation:

Truck Accidents Often Involve Serious Injuries

The forces involved in collisions with large commercial vehicles are immense, and the injuries suffered can be catastrophic. You need an experienced lawyer to help you recover full compensation for your injuries, medical treatment, lost income, and long-term impacts.

Trucking Laws and Regulations Are Complex

Truck accident lawyers understand laws like hours-of-service regulations, required safety equipment, and weigh station requirements. We know how to investigate whether a trucking company violated laws that contributed to the crash.

Insurance Companies Want to Pay as Little as Possible

Trucking insurance adjusters will find any reason to reduce a claim’s payout. You need a lawyer to level the playing field in negotiations and get you the full and fair settlement you deserve.

You Don’t Pay Court Costs or Fees Up Front

Truck accident lawyers work on contingency fees, so you don’t pay anything unless we obtain a settlement. This lets you maximize recovery without bearing the financial risk of litigation costs.

We Will Fight Hard in Court if Needed

Most cases settle, but if the insurer refuses reasonable offers, your lawyer is equipped to take your case to trial to seek the full damages awardable by law.

You have legal rights. Dealing with insurance alone can jeopardize your rights and lead to missed deadlines, weakened claims, or an unsatisfactory outcome. By having legal representation, you can rest assured that your rights will be protected throughout the proceedings.

Our Lafayette semi-truck accident lawyers have your back and the skills to effectively handle high-stakes injury claims against commercial motor carriers and their insurers. Our representation can make a life-changing financial and legal difference in getting you fully compensated.

How an Attorney Can Protect Your Rights

The trucking company’s insurer may attempt to reduce your compensation, but our personal injury lawyers understand how insurance companies work. We can protect you from unsavory tactics used by insurance carriers or other lawyers.

Our experienced truck accident attorneys can protect you from:

• Making statements that might allow an insurance company or attorney to assign fault to you
• Accepting an unfair settlement (our team calculates your damages to estimate your case’s full value)
• Submitting your case late due to slow responses from the insurance company

We will help you navigate the claims and litigation process and answer any questions you have as your case progresses. If the at-fault party’s insurance won’t pay, we will take legal action to protect your rights.

How Much a Truck Accident Lawyer Charges

Typically, victims walk away with more compensation when represented by an experienced attorney than they would if they handled their case alone. In addition, since our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, you won‘t have to pay upfront for legal services.

Contingency fees mean that attorneys are only paid if the case results in a settlement or award. The attorney fee is then a set percentage of the total amount recovered. This structure avoids upfront legal costs for clients, so they face no financial risk in pursuit of compensation after a traffic accident.

Our firm believes this fee structure is the fairest approach as it provides dedicated counsel with the resources and will to aggressively advocate at no cost unless we recover compensation on your behalf. We will discuss specific fee percentages during a free initial consultation to evaluate your case.

Do Semi-Truck Accident Cases Go to Trial?

Insurance companies can be aggressive in settling cases quickly. While an initial offer from an insurance agent may seem like a large amount of money, it may not be enough to cover your future medical care and other damages.

In general, approximately 90% of all personal injury lawsuits will settle without a trial. While we may settle your case outside of court, our personal injury law firm uses all available options to recover the most compensation possible on your behalf.

Our semi-truck accident lawyers in Lafayette will take your personal injury case to trial whenever necessary and without hesitation. We are not afraid of taking large insurers to court, and we’ve won cases at trial many times.

Why Truck Accident Claims Take Longer

In addition to being more complex, semi-truck accident claims may take longer to settle than cases involving only passenger vehicles. While truck companies generally carry a lot of insurance coverage, the insurers do not want to pay because the damages in trucking accident claims can be very high.

Because of this, it can take time for an insurer to agree to a fair settlement. Other factors may also prolong your case, including:

• Case investigation: It may take time for law enforcement or our investigative team to determine the accident’s cause. For example, if a vehicle malfunction caused the wreck, it may take further investigation to determine whether the truck manufacturer or a mechanic is liable.
• Data retrieval: Semi-trucks maintain a device often called a “black box,” which holds data about the truck’s performance. You have a right to request this information from the trucking company. However, the company may resist granting you this evidence, which could stall your legal efforts.
• Witnesses: Eyewitnesses play a crucial role in personal injury cases, as they can provide an objective account of the crash. Contacting people and convincing them to testify in your case may take effort. It could also take time to find them and record their witness statements.

Determining Liability for Your Truck Accident Injuries

Suffering an injury in a commercial trucking accident does not automatically entitle you to monetary compensation. Instead, we must establish that the other party was liable. Our team will help you build an evidence-based case that forces the insurers to pay you because you meet the legal requirements.

Liability for your truck crash injuries can rest on the shoulders of multiple defendants, which may include:

• The truck driver behind the wheel during the collision
• The trucking company employing the driver
• The truck’s manufacturer
• The manufacturer of a specific vehicle part
• The maintenance company servicing the truck
• The company loading the cargo
• A municipality governing road conditions where the wreck took place
• A third-party driver who caused you to get into a crash with the truck

You may sue more than one negligent party for your injuries. However, for this to happen, your attorney must identify the responsible parties first.

Louisiana’s Statute of Limitations

Time is generally not on your side due to Louisiana’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. You only have two years to file a civil action, barring extenuating circumstances. This window is smaller than the allowable time frame in other states.

Getting help from a Lafayette commercial truck accident attorney right away is one way to ensure you do not miss important deadlines in your case. Taking immediate action also ensures that evidence does not get lost or covered up and memories of the event remain fresh in people’s minds.

Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can result in catastrophic damage, often due to negligence on the part of truck drivers, trucking companies, or other related parties. Here are possible causes of truck accidents:

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of truck accidents. Drivers may focus on their phones, GPS devices, food, or other distractions instead of the road. Given the size and weight of commercial trucks, even a momentary lapse in attention can lead to disastrous consequences.

Driver Fatigue

Despite federal regulations limiting driving hours, some drivers and companies ignore these rules. Fatigue impairs reaction times, decision-making, and general awareness, making it a significant factor in many truck accidents.

Speeding

When truck drivers exceed speed limits or drive too fast for road conditions, they increase the likelihood of losing control and causing severe accidents.

Driving While Intoxicated

Impaired drivers have reduced coordination, slower reaction times, and poor judgment, making collisions more likely.

Driver Error or Lapse in Judgment

Truck drivers must be extra cautious due to the size and handling of their vehicles. Errors like failing to check blind spots, misjudging turns, or improperly merging can lead to devastating collisions with smaller vehicles.

Aggressive Driving

Aggressive behaviors such as tailgating, weaving through traffic, or road rage are especially dangerous when exhibited by truck drivers. These actions not only increase the risk of accidents but also put the lives of other drivers at significant risk.

Carrying Excessive Loads

Overloaded trucks or improperly balanced cargo can cause accidents by making the vehicle harder to control. Excessive weight can lead to issues like brake failure, tire blowouts, or rollovers, putting everyone on the road in danger.

Improper Truck Maintenance

Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring their vehicles are safe and well-maintained. Neglecting routine inspections or repairs can result in mechanical failures, such as brake malfunctions, tire blowouts, or steering issues, which can lead to accidents.

Not Exercising Caution in Adverse Weather Conditions

Rain, fog, wind, and other adverse weather conditions require truck drivers to adjust their driving accordingly. Failing to slow down, maintain control, or account for reduced visibility can lead to accidents, especially on slippery or wet roads.

Inadequate Training

Without proper instruction, drivers may lack the skills to handle complex situations, such as navigating tight turns, braking on steep inclines, or managing blind spots.

Ignoring Federal Regulations That Limit Cargo

Federal regulations set strict limits on cargo weight and how it must be secured to prevent shifting during transit. Ignoring these regulations can lead to accidents caused by spilled cargo, rollovers, or loss of vehicle control.

Trucking Companies That Fail to Invest in Their Drivers or Trucks

Trucking companies have a duty to hire qualified drivers, follow safety regulations, and maintain their fleets. When they cut corners to save costs—they put everyone on the road at risk.

What Are the Most Common Truck Accident Case Types?

Understanding the nature of these collisions can be helpful when pursuing compensation. We will gather evidence to support your claim once we determine how negligence played a part in your truck accident. Truck accident types for which we seek compensation include:

• Rear–end collisions: Rear-end collisions happen when a truck strikes the rear of the vehicle in front of it. A rear-end truck collision usually occurs when the truck driver follows the other vehicle too closely or exceeds the speed limit.
• Wide–turn accidents: Commercial trucks require a much larger turn radius than other vehicles. When these massive trucks turn wide, they can strike nearby vehicles.
• Head–on collisions: These devastating accidents occur when the front end of a truck strikes the front of another vehicle. They may occur on two-lane highways, in parking lots, or in dangerous weather conditions with low visibility.
• Jackknife accidents: Jackknife wrecks get their name from the shape of a commercial truck when it loses control. These accidents occur when a truck folds in on itself like a pocket knife before sliding sideways. Sometimes, another vehicle gets caught in the middle.
• Side–impact accidents: A side-impact collision happens when a commercial truck strikes the side of another vehicle. This scenario can happen at intersections or when another vehicle travels parallel to a large truck.

What Types of Injuries Do You Commonly Handle in Truck Accident Cases?

Here are some common types of injuries that we handle in truck accident cases:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): These can range from concussions to severe brain trauma from the forceful impact of a truck collision.
• Spinal cord injuries: Truck wrecks can cause herniated discs, paralysis, and other debilitating spine and neck injuries.
• Broken bones: The tremendous forces involved often result in broken arms, legs, ribs, and other fractures.
• Internal injuries: Damage to organs like the lungs, kidneys, or spleen from intense trauma is common.
• Burn injuries: Truck accidents that trigger fires or chemical spills can lead to severe burns.
• Amputations: Crushing injuries from the sheer weight of a tractor-trailer may require amputation of limbs.
• Lacerations/disfigurement: Deep cuts, scarring, and permanent disfigurement can occur.
• Wrongful death: Tragically, fatal injuries are an all-too-common result of truck crashes. Injuries from trucking accidents tend to be catastrophic due to the massive size and weight of the commercial vehicles involved. Extensive medical treatment and lifetime care are often required.

Seeking Compensation After a Fatal Truck Accident

If your loved one died in a fatal 18-wheeler accident, reach out to a wrongful death lawyer from our firm. Managing a wrongful death claim while grieving a loved one’s passing can be emotionally overwhelming, especially when you must relive the traumatic events.

Fortunately, you do not have to face this legal battle alone. Our personal injury law firm is here to help.

One of our Lafayette wrongful death lawyers will organize your case and stand beside you from start to finish. Our team of attorneys, paralegals, and investigators will:

• Complete a full investigation of the truck accident: Our inquiry will be one of the earliest steps in the case. We’ll pursue evidence like police reports, consult witnesses to your truck accident, and preserve all evidence we collect.
• Determine the cost of damages: We will account for current and future damages related to your loved one’s fatal truck accident. With the help of experts, we’ll assign a monetary value to each damage. The total cost we calculate will show you how much compensation to pursue.
• Do the paperwork necessary to complete the case: As you might expect, lawsuits and insurance claims are impossible without substantial documentation. Our team takes the administrative burden off our clients as we handle your paperwork and communications.
• Dealing with trucking companies and their representatives: The goal of a liable trucking company is in direct opposition to yours. We will deal with these companies for you, whether to gather evidence, negotiate a settlement, or win in court.
• Fight tirelessly for your financial recovery: We will help you secure the financial recovery you deserve. Whether through an insurance payment, settlement, or verdict, we will never lose sight of this goal.

Our experienced lawyers will fight relentlessly for your financial recovery during this challenging time. This will allow you to focus all your attention on your physical and emotional well-being.

Compensation You Could Get for a Truck Accident Wrongful Death

Depending on the circumstances of your legal claim and your relationship with the decedent, you may be entitled to damages for:

• Funeral and burial costs: Refers to the expenses incurred for arranging and conducting a funeral service and the subsequent burial or cremation of your loved one resulting from the accident.
• Loss of companionship: Involves the emotional and relational impact of losing a loved one due to a wrongful death. It encompasses the loss of your family member’s love, care, guidance, and support that would have been provided to your family members.
• Loss of future income: This represents the financial compensation for the potential earnings and financial support your loved one would have provided you and your dependents over their lifetime had the accident not occurred.
• Loss of inheritance: Relates to the financial losses experienced by you and your surviving family members, resulting in the loss of your assets and inheritance that would have been passed down to you.
• Medical expenses: These include the costs associated with medical treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, therapy, and any other healthcare-related expenses resulting from the accident.
• Emotional trauma: Encompasses the psychological and emotional distress, anguish, and suffering experienced by your loved one or your family as a direct result of the traumatic event.
• Punitive damages: These are additional damages awarded in certain cases to punish the at-fault party for their intentional misconduct, gross negligence, or willful disregard for the safety of others. Punitive damages are meant to deter similar behavior in the future and go beyond compensating for the actual losses incurred. Punitive damages are awarded in rare situations where the defendant acted maliciously or egregiously.

Every situation is unique, but a truck accident attorney in Lafayette will seek compensation for the recoverable damages that apply to your case. Families can sue for wrongful death, but you must act quickly after the accident for the best chance of success.

Contact a Lafayette Truck Accident Lawyer Now

Facing long-term health consequences after a devastating truck accident is never easy. While financial compensation cannot undo all you’ve endured, it could provide the support you need to manage your injuries. Laborde Earles is dedicated to every case we handle.

We have a track record of success, recovering over one billion dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. Our experienced legal team will guide you through every step of your case while treating you with the utmost care and respect.

There is no upfront cost to work with a truck accident lawyer with our firm. We work on a contingency fee basis and do not collect fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation with a Lafayette truck accident lawyer.