Saugus, MA Truck Accident Lawyer

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Truck crashes and collisions are extremely dangerous. When a truck strikes a regular vehicle like a car, SUV, or even a large pickup, the occupants are likely to get very badly hurt. Those injuries often require intense medical treatment over a long period of time, which can easily reach costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more. Those expenses, along with the other hardships victims of truck accidents must deal with, can make them feel angry, hopeless, or just plain down and out.

If you were hurt after a truck hit you and do not know what to do next, you need legal counsel fighting for you in your corner. We know how to handle truck cases effectively and professionally. Let us focus on the tough legal issues while you can focus all of your efforts on recovery and getting back to living your life.

To have our truck accident lawyers go over your claim for free, contact the Law Office of John J. Sheehan by calling (617) 925-6407.

What Causes Truck Crashes in Saugus, MA?

There are many different reasons that a truck accident could happen. Your initial thoughts may downplay the importance of the cause of a truck accident. After all, what really matters is that you got hurt, and someone else needs to pay, right? The cause of a given truck collision is actually really important to our truck accident lawyers because the cause of your particular truck accident determines who you take to court to obtain damages from. It is best to focus your efforts on suing the correct parties and not people who had nothing to do with your accident.

Driver Negligence

Truck drivers frequently cause truck accidents, and the driver of the truck that hit you should almost always be a party in your lawsuit. Truckers can cause accidents by speeding, driving under the influence, going through red lights and stop signs, and otherwise violating traffic rules – just like ordinary motorists. However, there are also some other things that truckers must know. They need to be properly trained to drive large, heavy vehicles, and they must adhere to other rules like FMCSA regulations about how long a truck driver is allowed to operate their vehicle continuously.

Trucking Company Negligence

There is also a good chance that you will be able to sue the trucking company that employed the driver who hit you. The first reason that you can do this is if the trucking company had a direct hand in causing the accident that injured you. A common cause of this is negligent hiring – when trucking companies hire drivers they know or should know do not have the skills required to drive a big heavy truck. Alternatively, a trucking company may state that they provide training for their drivers, but in reality, they either do not provide adequate training or do not train them at all. If one of those poorly trained drivers hits someone, the trucking company can also be liable for any injuries that truckers cause.

Alternatively, trucking companies may also be liable vicariously. This happens when an employee/truck driver does something negligent while they are doing a work-related activity. For example, suppose a trucker runs over someone while pulling out of a rest stop because they were not paying attention. The trucking company would be liable for the plaintiff’s injuries because doing stuff at a rest stop is related to their job of driving a truck. However, that trucking company would not be liable if, say, a trucker hits someone while skipping work to go see a friend and play video games all day since that is too far detached from their job of driving a truck.

Truck Defects

Sometimes, truck accidents are caused by problems with the truck itself. When a truck – or any product for that matter – has a dangerous flaw, it is considered “defective.” When an entity that designs or makes a product puts it out to market, it can be sued if someone gets hurt by it. For example, suppose a truck designer decides to use brakes that are not strong enough to bring a fully loaded 18-wheeler to a halt. If someone gets hurt when the trucker tries to slam on the brakes and the truck does not stop, that designer may be liable for the plaintiff’s injuries.

What Compensation Can I Get in Saugus, MA Truck Accident Lawsuits?

Another important thing to keep in mind when pursuing a truck accident lawsuit is what damages you can obtain. In civil claims, damages are the way that courts try to “reset” things to how they were before the accident took place. This almost always takes the form of financial compensation.

You can get damages for a lot of different things, including medical bills, lost income and opportunity to earn future income, property damage, and more. Additionally, you can be compensated for less tangible things like the pain of your injuries, the mental and psychological toll they take on you, and other things that may not be readily apparent just from bills, invoices, and other evidence. Our lawyers will work hard to ensure that the court understands exactly how much the defendant’s actions have affected you and your daily life.

There is also another type of damages called “punitive damages,” which are exceedingly rare in Massachusetts. These are only awarded when there is a loss of life involved in the incident, and the defendant is proven to be more than just negligent, so it is a good idea to let our attorneys determine whether seeking them is viable based on your circumstances.