Goldsboro Truck Accident Attorney

Trucking Accidents and Injuries

Accidents involving semi trucks are often serious due to the enormous size and weight of the vehicle, and the injuries they cause can be life threatening and life-altering. This is especially true when the crash involves motorists in passenger cars, motorcyclists or pedestrians.

Often, the most common causes of truck accidents include driver and/or trucking company negligence, though many other factors may contribute as well.

Although industry regulations exist to minimize the risk of serious trucking accidents, many companies ignore these rules in the interest of higher profits. However, no matter the cause, victims of truck accidents are typically entitled to compensation for their medical bills, lost wages and other costs.

Due to the damage these wrecks cause, a trucking accident injury claim can be complex. Often, a successful claim requires extensive investigation, expert opinions and accident reconstruction, because evidence and witnesses disappear quickly and memories fade. While trucking companies typically carry more insurance than private motorists, it can be difficult to get a truly fair settlement for your injuries and damages unless you have an experienced injury attorney that has successfully handled these claims in the past.

A truck accident lawyer from Riddle & Brantley can help you get compensation for the loss you or a loved one has suffered at the hands of a careless truck driver. Trucking companies have many attorneys looking out for their interests, and our legal team can protect your interests in negotiations and the courtroom.

Experienced Goldsboro Truck Accident Lawyers with a Record of Success

At Riddle & Brantley, our Goldsboro personal injury lawyers work hard to ensure injury victims receive the full compensation they deserve after trucking accidents. One way we do so is by thoroughly investigating the truck crash scene as well as the vehicle itself. Determining the cause of the crash allows us to establish liability.

In one case, our client was run over by a cement truck while in a gas station parking lot. Her injuries consisted of de-gloving large masses of skin and tissue, along with broken bones. Her fiancé called us the following day. That same day, a truck accident lawyer from our law firm accompanied an accident reconstruction expert to the scene of the accident.

Unfortunately, the accident report did not place responsibility on the driver of the truck. However, after our investigation and accident reconstruction, we proved that the accident resulted from the negligence of the cement truck driver. As a result, our client received compensation for her injuries.

In another tragic case, a truck crash occurred at a stop light intersection, taking the life of a young high school student. Initial accident reports indicated that the victim may have run the red light, causing the accident. However, one of our investigators located several witnesses who the investigating officer did not identify originally.

They agreed that the driver of the truck actually ran the red light and T-boned our client’s vehicle. We also retained the services of an accident reconstruction expert and an expert on U.S. Fleet Safety. Both helped us prove that the truck driver was at fault. Eventually, we were able to settle the case with the trucking company.

The driver of the truck was also charged with and eventually pled guilty to misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.

Compensation for Truck Accidents

If your truck accident lawsuit is successful, you have the opportunity to recover different types of compensation for financial, physical, and psychological damages. Each type of compensation available falls into one of two categories — economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover the financial losses from a truck accident, and they are awarded to return the victim to the financial position they were in prior to the crash. Non-economic damages represent the psychological and physical issues that can result from a truck crash.

Lost wages

One of the frustrating aspects of a truck accident injury is the inability to work while you are hurt. Recovery takes time, and this may create unexpected financial instability. You might be entitled to damages based on your lost wages and include the income lost before filing your lawsuit as well as your diminished future earning power.

Pain and suffering

Your physical pain can be substantial following a truck accident. Severe injuries can result in long-lasting pain, especially when nerve damage is involved. A monetary award could be available to compensate you for this. Pain is subjective, so it is vital that you have an attorney that can show a jury how this pain has impacted your quality of life.

Medical bills

Expenses related to your medical care can quickly become overwhelming in the aftermath of a truck accident. Thankfully, you have the right to recover compensation based on these expenses, including surgical procedures, hospitalization, physical therapy, and pain medication.

Property damage

Most people are understandably concerned with their physical injuries. However, another critical aspect is the damage to your property. These types of claims are typically related to the motor vehicle involved in the crash. However, you might also be able to recover damages for items like watches or mobile devices that were destroyed in the accident.

Scarring and disfigurement

Severe injuries can result in permanent scarring or disfigurement from lacerations, burns, or bone fractures. Like your pain and suffering, scarring is a subjective loss that cannot be easily quantified. Our firm can help you make the case that you deserve compensation for this and all your losses.

How Will a Truck Accident Lawyer Help with My Case?

In handling trucking cases, our semi truck accident lawyers have found that the most important thing our clients can do is to act quickly. In accidents involving tractor-trailers or large trucks, the damage at the scene is usually extensive.

Additionally, in the immediate aftermath, there may be one or more victims with life-threatening personal injuries. As a result, the responding law enforcement officer faces many duties all at once.

First, the officer must get emergency help for the injury victims. Then he or she must try to find out what happened by examining the scene and talking to witnesses. Lastly, he must help clear the roadway so that normal traffic can resume. Clearly, this is a lot to accomplish, especially on a busy road. As a result, though officers generally will do the best they can, they may overlook important evidence.

When you hire a truck accident lawyer early or soon after the accident, we can immediately begin our own investigation.

This may include the following:

• Obtain Photographs
• Collect Facts
• Secure Witnesses
• Begin an Accident Reconstruction
• Retain Experts

Remember, time is not on your side. Memories fade, damaged vehicles get repaired or replaced and facts get lost over time. We have retired NC State Highway Patrolmen to help with our investigations as well as accident reconstruction experts. They can help us secure all important facts as well as pertinent information about your case.

Additionally, we have found in most situations that the trucking companies and businesses carry higher limits of insurance coverage for injuries than the usual auto policies carried by most private citizens. Also, there may be more than one source of insurance providing coverage for the accident. If so, then our truck crash attorneys can help you collect compensation from each policy.

What are the Possible Types of Truck Accidents?

Trucking accident injuries can range from minor soft tissue damage to catastrophic brain, head and spinal injury, depending on the severity of the accident.

We pursue cases involving all types and causes of truck accidents, including:

• Truck rollovers
• Jackknife accidents
• Under-ride accidents
• Wide turn accidents
• Side impact collisions and T-bone accidents
• Lost cargo accidents
• Air brake failure and tire blowouts
• Accidents caused by driver fatigue
• Fatal trucking accidents

Injured in a Goldsboro Truck Accident? Contact an Experienced Semi Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one sustained injuries due to the negligent actions of a truck driver or company, then you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death claim. At Riddle & Brantley, our truck accident attorneys are dedicated to seeking the maximum compensation for our clients. After a truck crash, we will do whatever it takes to fight for your rights, because Justice Counts.

With office locations in Goldsboro, Raleigh, Kinston, and Jacksonville, North Carolina, our attorneys help injured victims across the state and nationwide. If your injuries prevent you from coming to our office, a truck accident lawyer will happily meet you in the hospital, your home or anywhere you like.

To learn more about our law firm and how we can help, contact us online or call (800) 525-7111 today.