Under federal law, a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds while traveling on interstate highways, and specially permitted trucks traveling solely within Kentucky’s borders may be even heavier. Put simply, the average semi-truck is longer, taller, and more massive in every way than virtually every other vehicle around them—meaning any traffic accident involving a big rig is likely to have especially severe consequences and more catastrophic damages.
When you are hurt in a wreck that you believe a commercial truck driver is to blame, you should strongly consider contacting and retaining the best Richmond truck accident lawyer you can find to help you pursue fair financial recovery. The insurance providers representing trucking companies will fight tenaciously and sometimes in bad faith to protect their policyholders at your expense. A top-rated personal injury attorney can do a lot to tip the odds of a positive case settlement result in your favor.
Truck accident claims typically center around proving that negligence by a truck driver or the company that employs them was the main and direct cause of a crash that directly results in a serious injury. On the part of the truck driver, “negligence” usually takes the form of a traffic violation like speeding or failing to yield properly, but could also include behavior like:
Trucking companies can often be held “vicariously liable” for misconduct by their employers. Still, they can also be negligent at the organizational level in ways that contribute to wrecks—for example, by not maintaining good hiring practices and putting unqualified drivers behind the wheel. In some situations, liability may even lie with a third party not directly involved in the crash, like a mechanic who did not replace a broken truck part or a supplier who did not secure a truck’s cargo before transit. An experienced Richmond truck accident attorney can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of a specific crash to determine what parties may be responsible.
One of the first questions many clients want to know after an accident is: “How much is my injury claim worth?” Regardless of exactly how it happens or who shares in the blame for it happening, a successful civil claim built around a semi-truck crash can account for both economic and non-economic repercussions of the wreck, including:
Representation from a the best truck wreck lawyer in Richmond that you can find is critical to identifying all damages that should be incorporated into a specific claim and assigning fair financial values to things like physical pain and other losses that may persist for years.
Whether it happens on Interstate 75, US-25, or any other highway or local road around Richmond, any traffic accident involving a tractor-trailer can have serious impacts on your life now and in the future. On top of that, enforcing your rights to demand compensation for harm someone else causes you can be challenging and stressful, especially without confident legal counsel by your side.
Speaking with a Richmond truck accident lawyer near you is a crucial first step to take if you want to ensure you get the fair payments you deserve. Schedule a free consultation with Maze Law Offices by calling today. Our legal team prides itself on offering free advice to anyone in need of help after an accident.
