If you or someone you loved was injured or died in a tow truck accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for damages you suffered. The aftermath of an accident is stressful and expensive, but a lawyer can help ease the stress you may feel.
Our Lafayette, LA, tow truck lawyers are here to remove your burden at this difficult time. We’ll navigate the legal system, investigate the accident, interview witnesses, file the appropriate papers in court, negotiate with insurance companies and their lawyers, and argue your case in court if a trial is necessary. Reach out to a Lafayette truck accident lawyer to discuss your situation.
Contact our law firm for a complimentary legal consultation today.
Injuries You Can Sustain in a Louisiana Tow-Away Vehicle Accident
A recovery vehicle’s weight and sheer size can cause immense damage to your body when it hits you. You could suffer severe or even catastrophic injuries that can leave a permanent mark on your life. Some of the most prevalent injuries that result from this type of truck include:
- Broken bones: Broken bones occur when the bone breaks through the skin. The two main types of fractures are open and closed. Open fractures involve the breakage of both ends of the bone, while closed fractures only involve one end. Fractures usually heal well with proper treatment.
- Torn ligaments: Torn ligaments occur when the muscles around the knee joint become weak and tear away from the bone. This causes pain and swelling in the knee.
- Traumatic brain injuries: A traumatic brain injury happens when someone’s head gets hit by a blow or jolt. The damage depends on the severity of the injury. If the person survives, they may suffer from memory loss, headaches, dizziness, confusion, depression, anxiety, irritability, personality changes, trouble thinking clearly, or difficulty concentrating.
- Burns and lacerations: Burns and lacerations happen when skin tissue gets damaged due to heat, chemicals, electricity, or friction. The severity depends on the damage’s cause, location, depth, and extent.
Even if you don’t see the injury you suffered listed above, that doesn’t mean you don’t qualify for damages. Our tow truck accident attorneys in Lafayette can review your accident details and tell you if your injuries qualify you for a case.
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.
ClientDamages Our Lafayette Tow Truck Lawyers Can Help You Recover
The complex systems that enable tow trucks to pull other vehicles make tow trucks harder to control, steer, and stop. If you’re in a smaller vehicle that gets into a tow truck crash, you and your passengers will likely suffer major injuries and property damage.
In a successful lawsuit, our firm’s Lafayette tow truck lawyers can recover damages for economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages are financial losses you’ve suffered that have a dollar amount. While non-economic damages are for less tangible losses, such as physical and emotional distress and anguish. Economic and non-economic damages may include:
- Medical care and rehabilitative expenses, current and projected for the future
- Property damage and vehicle repair or replacement costs
- Lost wages and lost future earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
If the liable party caused fatal injuries to your loved one, you might receive wrongful death compensation for funeral expenses, grief and sorrow, loss of companionship, and future income. Whichever type of accident you or a loved one suffered, we are here to help.
Our combined 350 years of legal experience make us a valuable asset to have by your side.
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 | ClientHow Lawyers Prove Liability
For you to recover damages, our attorneys must prove that the tow truck company or driver was negligent and caused the accident. Tow truck drivers and the companies that employ them must meet federal and state regulations.
These regulations cover driver licensing requirements, safe driving practices, financial responsibility for motor carrier companies, allowable driving time, and required inspections, repairs, and maintenance.
Additionally, towing company employees must have the knowledge to ensure that vehicles are properly loaded onto the truck. We will look for any failure to abide by these standards to establish liability for causing the crash.
Regulations include:
- Driver age and experience requirements and hours allowed to drive. Drivers must follow all local traffic laws and specific regulations governing large trucks, or they may be liable.
- Employers of tow truck operators must follow the regulations and cannot force drivers to work while ill, tired, or impaired, or the employers may be liable for the crash.
- Vehicles must follow federal safety regulations, such as having visible lights and reflectors. If vehicles are not properly equipped or maintained, the owners and those in charge of maintenance can be accountable.
Any person who drives a car has a legal responsibility to drive safely called the duty of care. If they breach that responsibility by causing harm to someone else, they could be held legally accountable for their actions.
Who Can Be Responsible for a Tow Truck Crash in Louisiana?
If there is evidence that any of the negligent actions listed above were the reason you suffered injuries, you may be able to collect damages from multiple parties. Parties you can hold accountable in a personal injury lawsuit may include:
- The tow truck driver
- The truck owner or trucking company the driver works for
- The manufacturer of the truck or its parts
- The person or company responsible for truck maintenance or repair
- The construction company, maintenance company, or municipality responsible for building or maintaining roads
Several parties could be responsible for the accident. Your Lafayette truck accident lawyer can investigate the accident, interview witnesses, examine records, and employ experts to reconstruct the case to help prove liability.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientBe Aware of Louisiana’s Statute of Limitations
Louisiana’s statute of limitations requires you to file a lawsuit within a certain time. According to Louisiana laws, the deadline is generally two years from the date of the accident unless there is an exception.
Our lawyers recommend that you file your claim as soon as possible. When you file early, you’ll have more time to gather evidence with the help of your lawyer, and you’ll also have a higher chance of recovering the maximum compensation for your injuries.
If you do not file on time, you will lose your right to file a lawsuit. This means you may be unable to recover the losses you’ve suffered. Missing the deadline can result in paying out of pocket for your expenses.
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.
ClientWhy a Lawyer is Essential When You Meet with the Insurance Provider
Insurance adjusters often seem agreeable upon first impression; however, our lawyers have handled multiple insurance claims, and we know it’s an act. Insurance companies are out for themselves and only seek to protect their bottom lines. This allows them to thrive when people get into accidents.
Therefore, when it’s time to recover damages, they’ll fight to avoid giving them to you. That’s where our team will step in and stop them from diminishing the financial compensation you deserve. We’ll show them proof of your injuries and fight for you in the pursuit of compensation.
We’ll be ready to take legal action if they refuse to give you the money you need. Our team is ready to present evidence of your injuries to a judge or jury. We’ll take as many steps as we need to get you a fair settlement.
How a Lafayette Tow Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Recovering the compensation you need can be exceedingly difficult. Fortunately, you do not need to handle your case alone. When you get help from an attorney, you do not need to worry about the following:
- Meeting deadlines (any insurance deadlines, statutes of limitations)
- Gathering evidence (getting photo or video evidence, interviewing eyewitnesses, discussing your case with expert witnesses)
- Using evidence to build a compelling case
- Communicating with insurance companies and any other involved parties
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Taking your case to court if necessary
The list of tasks above that our team can do for you are just a few. Our lawyers are ready to do whatever we need to recover your compensation. Our team adjusts to your needs and has a wealth of resources to take on the negligent parties.
Contact a Lafayette Tow Truck Attorney from Our Team Today
If you were injured in a tow truck crash, you don’t have to go through the legal hurdles of collecting a settlement alone. The attorneys at the Laborde Earles are available to discuss the facts of your case, and our payment only comes out of the award we win for you.
Due to the short time you have to file a lawsuit, you should consult with a qualified Lafayette, LA, tow truck accident attorney as soon as possible. Call us or fill out the contact form on our website to schedule a free case consultation today.
