Were you or a loved one recently injured in an accident with a semi truck or big rig in Raleigh, NC? You may deserve significant compensation. To make sure you’re getting the full compensation you deserve, call an experienced Raleigh truck accident lawyer at Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers.
We’re prepared to put more than 190 years of experience in personal injury law to work for you. We’ve already recovered over $850 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients. You can trust us to put that track record of success to work in your case.
The at-fault truck driver and their boss may owe you compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Don’t expect the insurance company to hand over the money you deserve without a fight. Get the legal assistance you deserve by contacting our law offices or calling 800-525-7111 in Raleigh, North Carolina, to schedule a free consultation today.
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Why Should I Call Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for Legal Advice After a Truck Accident in Raleigh, NC?
Commercial truck accidents can cause a shocking amount of damage. Even with relatively low speeds, the damage can be much more severe than in cases involving only passenger vehicles.
You’ll also be forced to deal with the truck driver’s commercial insurance policy. They have the resources to make things incredibly difficult. You deserve an experienced Raleigh personal injury lawyer to handle the legal issues.
When you hire our team at Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers, you gain a trusted advocate to:
- Launch a detailed investigation into the wreck
- Locate evidence to establish liability
- Identify all sources of insurance
- Fiercely defend you when you’re blamed for causing the crash
- Negotiate for a full and fair insurance settlement
Our Raleigh personal injury attorneys are always prepared to head to trial if necessary. The insurance company knows that because they recognize our name. That makes it much more likely that they’ll offer a fair settlement amount.
To learn more about your legal options after a crash, call for a free case review today with a Raleigh truck accident attorney.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in North Carolina?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tracks accidents involving large trucks and tractor-trailers. According to their data, 5,468 accidents involving large trucks occurred across the state of North Carolina in a recent year.
3,269 people were injured in those truck wrecks, and, sadly, 159 victims were killed.
What Is My Raleigh Truck Accident Case Worth?
Calculating the fair value of a personal injury claim can be complicated. However, it’s critical that your case value is accurately assessed. You only have one chance to recover compensation after a crash. If you fail to account for all of your losses, you won’t be able to return and ask for more compensation in the future.
The factors that will have the largest impact on your case value include:
- The current value of your medical expenses
- The value of your lost wages if you missed time at work
- Your need for ongoing medical care and rehab in the future
- The permanence of your injuries
- How a long-term disability will impact your future earning capacity
- Whether you share any blame for the accident
- Personal losses, including damage to your quality of life and enjoyment of life
Our lawyers will carefully review the details as we’re calculating your case value. We’ll consult your doctors and other experts who can help with the valuation process.
What Types of Compensation Are Available to Truck Accident Victims in Raleigh?
North Carolina personal injury laws divide damages into two primary categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. The law recognizes that a serious truck wreck can impact your life in significant ways. The crash can take a significant physical, emotional, and financial toll.
You can seek compensation for any loss you suffered because of the crash, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages are much more limited. In North Carolina, they’re reserved for cases where the defendant’s acts were especially shocking and showed a conscious disregard for your safety.
Who Is Liable for My Damages After a Truck Accident in Raleigh?
Even once you’ve identified your losses and calculated their value, you don’t automatically receive a fair check. You’ll also have to identify the parties who are legally responsible.
A negligent truck driver may have caused the crash. Still, someone else will likely be responsible for your damages.
Common examples of responsible parties in truck accident claims include:
- The trucking company that hired the driver
- A truck leasing company
- The manufacturer of defective truck parts
- Third-party drivers
- Truck leasing companies
- Someone hired to inspect and maintain a fleet of trucks
- Someone who was responsible for the truck’s cargo
It all depends on the circumstances of the accident. Once we determine what happened to cause the crash, we can locate the parties who are legally responsible for the resulting damage.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer to Help With My Truck Accident Case?
Like most North Carolina personal injury law firms, Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if we win a settlement or verdict in your case.
When you hire us, you’ll agree to pay a percentage of your compensation. Once your case is resolved, you’ll pay that percentage.
How Will North Carolina's Shared Fault Laws Impact My Right to Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Truck Accident?
Allegations of shared fault are especially serious in North Carolina. North Carolina operates using a strict contributory negligence law. You can’t get any compensation at all if you share any blame for the accident.
If the insurance company has even a shred of evidence that you share fault, they’ll use it to your advantage. Don’t wait to hire an experienced attorney if the other side blames you. Our lawyers will be familiar with these tactics, and we know how to effectively fight back.
Our Accident Attorneys in Raleigh Fight to Get Compensation for All of Your Truck Accident Injuries
While truck accidents are capable of causing all types of injuries, the most common types of truck accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Chest injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Our lawyers will help you recover compensation for any injury you’ve suffered. Call us today to arrange to talk about your case.
What Are the Top Causes of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Raleigh?
Truck drivers must pass certain tests and obtain a commercial driver’s license before they can operate these large and heavy vehicles.
Some of the most common causes of North Carolina truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued truck drivers
- FMCSA hours-of-service violations
- Speeding
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Failure to check blind spots before changing lanes
- Lane departures
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to properly secure the truck’s cargo
- Wide turns
- Failure to account for the truck’s longer stopping times
- Drunk driving or drug use
- Overloading the truck
- Ignoring trucking industry regulations
- Mechanical failures
When the police arrive at the accident scene, they’ll conduct a preliminary investigation. The accident report will contain important details–but it doesn’t always tell the full story.
Our Raleigh truck accident attorneys will launch our own investigation and collect evidence on your behalf. Medical records, witness statements, maintenance records and data from the commercial vehicle’s black box recording device can provide vital evidence in your case.
How Do I Prove I Deserve Compensation After a Truck Accident in North Carolina?
Negligent driving is what causes most truck accidents.
To prove negligence, you’re required to provide evidence about:
- The truck driver’s legal duty of care
- Some type of breach of duty, or failure to exercise a reasonable level of caution
- Causation, meaning that the breach of duty directly caused your truck accident
- The damages you sustained in the truck wreck
Large commercial trucking companies have the resources to conduct an extensive investigation. Their commercial insurance company will also get to work immediately. Our lawyers can jump in and start collecting evidence before it disappears or becomes damaged.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in North Carolina?
The statute of limitations in North Carolina personal injury cases is three years. If you don’t file a lawsuit within two years of the date of your accident, you lose your right to damages entirely.
If the truck wreck was fatal, you have two years from the date of the victim’s death to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact a Skilled Raleigh Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were involved in a truck accident, the clock is already ticking. Our team at Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is here to provide the guidance and support you need. Call an experienced Raleigh truck accident attorney to learn about your legal rights today.