Chelsea, MA Truck Accident Lawyer

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If you or someone close to you was recently involved in a collision with a large truck or eighteen-wheeler, you should contact our legal team about how to get fair compensation. Truck accidents are famously severe, and it is not unusual for a single truck crash to injure dozens of people and damage just as many vehicles. In some cases, the devastation is so great that insurance does not cover all the losses.

First, we need to determine who is responsible for the crash. Considering how large and chaotic truck accidents can be, we might not know the truth until law enforcement completes an investigation. In the meantime, we can consider the truck driver, their employer, and possibly others. Whomever we file a claim against, we must do so soon, as the statute of limitations could expire before we file. When preparing your claim, we need to accurately assess your damages, including economic and non-economic injuries and losses. Your attorney should be able to help you with all this and more.

Contact the Law Office of John J. Sheehan and ask our truck accident attorneys for a free, private case assessment by calling (617) 925-6407.

Responsibility for Truck Accidents in Chelsea, MA

Truck accidents do not just happen out of the blue. When something goes wrong to cause an accident, there is usually someone to blame. The trick is figuring out who that is. Since truck crashes are often very complicated, we might have to wait while the authorities investigate before we have an answer. However, our truck accident attorneys can begin building your case while we wait, and we should consider truckers, their employers, and others when preparing your case for court.

Truckers

Truck drivers operate enormously powerful vehicles, and as such, they have a lot of responsibility on the road. One wrong move can hurt them and injure numerous other drivers. Trucker negligence is taken very seriously by the police, and the trucker will likely be thoroughly investigated. If they are found to have negligently caused the crash, our lawyers can help you hold them accountable.

A common example of trucker negligence is falling asleep at the wheel. Truckers often make long trips and drive for hours on end with few stops or rest periods. It is not uncommon for truckers to become very tired on the road and doze off. Even just a few seconds with their eyes closed might lead to disaster. Other examples of trucker negligence include speeding, reckless driving, failing to signal turns, and various common traffic violations.

Truck Companies

If a truck driver is found to be responsible for an accident, their employer may also be held responsible under certain circumstances. The truck driver must have acted negligently while performing their normal assigned duties. In such cases, their employer, the trucking company, may be held vicariously liable. This is always worth looking into because trucking companies tend to be better able to cover damages than individual truckers.

Others

While truckers and their employers are often heavily involved in truck accidents, we should not rule out the possibility of others being responsible until after the authorities finish their investigation. For example, maybe the trucker is only partially responsible for the accident. Maybe another driver cut them off in a reckless manner, causing the trucker to swerve or slam the brakes. Another possibility is that some part of the truck malfunctioned. Maybe the brakes, trailer hitch, or coupling device failed, causing the accident. In such a case, the manufacturer of the faulty parts may be held responsible.

When to Begin a Truck Accident Case in Chelsea, MA

You might be badly injured and need some time to recover. You might also have to wait a bit for the authorities to complete their investigation. What you should not be waiting to do is talk to a lawyer about your accident. While we might not have all the pieces of the puzzle right away, there are steps we can take to start preparing. Also, we must make sure your case is ready to be filed before the statute of limitations expires.

The statute of limitation, under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260 § 2A, allows you 3 years from the date of the truck collision to file a case in court. If this limitation period passes without anything being filed, you might lose your ability to bring the cause of action, and you might never get compensation for your injuries and damages.

Possible Damages Recoverable in Chelsea, MA Truck Crash Cases

Financial compensation is based on your damages. Your damages represent the costs, injuries, losses, and painful experiences you endured as a direct result of the truck crash. You might have more damages than you initially realize, and a lawyer can help you make sure all your damages are accounted for, so you get the most compensation possible.

Economic Damages

Your economic damages are based on the money you lost because of the accident. Anyone who has been in a truck or car accident can attest to how expensive they are. Chief among your economic damages are medical bills. Injuries in truck accident cases are harsh, and your hospital bills might be extremely high. Keep all records of medical treatment and hospital bills so you can add them to your overall damages claim.

We should also think about the property you might have lost in the accident. Was your car damaged or destroyed? Did you have personal belongings in the car during the crash? Is there anything else you lost? The cost of repairing or replacing the property may be substantial and should be included in your case.

Non-Economic Damages

Your non-economic damages are more subjective. They revolve around your physical and mental pain and how the accident has affected your life. Whether these injuries cost you money is not important. Many non-economic injuries do not take a financial toll. Even so, they should be fairly compensated.

You may claim physical pain from your injuries, emotional suffering, psychological damage or turmoil, and other painful experiences. If your injuries left you with disabilities or disfigurements, you may claim non-economic damages for how those conditions have altered your life.