Shrewsbury, MA Truck Accident Lawyer
All auto accidents are dangerous, but truck accidents are known to be extreme. Trucks are very large, and accidents often affect numerous drivers on the road. A lawyer can help you take your case to court and get fair compensation.
First things first, we must determine what caused your truck accident. Common factors include speed, tried truckers, and truckers not minding their enormous blind spots. While truck drivers are often primarily responsible for these kinds of accidents, we should also examine their employer, the truck company, for liability. Other drivers involved in the crash might also bear some blame. We need to know who to hold responsible for your damages. Damages may include steep financial costs from the crash and the effects of deep psychological and emotional distress. Our legal team can assist you in constructing a strong case by presenting witness testimony, evidence from the accident scene, and medical records that support your claims.
For a review of your case for no cost, call (617) 925-6407 and speak to our truck accident lawyers at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan.
Figuring Out What Caused Your Truck Accident in Shrewsbury, MA
Speeding is a common factor in many types of accidents, including truck accidents. Truckers must be extra careful to avoid speeding as it might create a serious safety risk involving the truck’s trailer. When a speeding truck suddenly stops, the trailer might not slow down at the same rate as the truck. When this happens, the trailer might swerve one way while the truck goes the other, causing a jackknife accident.
Driver fatigue is another major issue on the roads. Truckers are known for spending long hours behind the wheel. If a trucker goes for too long without a rest, they might become overly tired and doze off at the wheel. While truckers are required to take rests, many truck companies push their drivers to go as long as possible without stopping.
Blind spots are a problem on most vehicles, but they are exceptionally large for trucks. You might have seen a sign on the back of a truck’s trailer that says something like, “If you cannot see my mirrors, I cannot see you.” This is because of the truck’s large blind spots. Multiple cars are easily hidden in a truck’s blind spots, and negligent truckers might hit other cars when they turn or merge.
Which Parties Are Legally Responsible for Your Truck Accident in Shrewsbury, MA
Once we understand how your collision occurred, our truck accident lawyers can determine who should be held accountable. As said, truck crashes are large in scale, and numerous other people are usually involved in some way.
More often than not, the truck driver involved in a crash is at least partially, if not predominantly, responsible for the accident. Negligent behavior from truckers is an extremely common cause of collisions. Perhaps the trucker was speeding or driving recklessly. Maybe the trucker fell asleep or was drinking and driving.
If we believe the truck driver is to blame, their employer might share the blame with them. As the trucker’s employer, the trucking company may be held vicariously liable for the accident. Under the legal rule known as respondeat superior, an injured victim can sue the employer of a negligent employee if the employee’s negligence happened within the scope of their normal job functions. It is often a good idea to name the trucker’s employer in a lawsuit, as a trucking company might have more financial resources to cover your damages.
It is possible that the trucker was not the only negligent driver involved in the crash. Other drivers who somehow contributed to the crash should be identified and held responsible. Perhaps another driver cut off the truck driver, causing them to swerve into another lane. Anything is possible. We can check with witnesses and even review footage from nearby security cameras to determine if any other drivers should be named in your case.
Recovering Damages for Your Truck Accident Injuries in Shrewsbury, MA
Many truck accident victims incur serious property damage. The cost to repair or replace damaged vehicles and personal items can be staggering. It is important to keep a thorough record of auto repairs and a list of personal belongings that have been destroyed or lost.
Another major source of economic damages is medical expenses. People who survive truck accidents often have severe injuries and are rushed to emergency medical treatment. Treatment might involve X-rays, surgeries, medication, physical therapy, mobility aids, and more. Some people require long-term treatment that goes past the completion of their legal case. In that situation, we can estimate and claim future medical expenses.
Speaking of severe injuries, many people cannot go back to work because of their injuries. When this happens, accident victims lose income. The more time you have to take away from work, the higher your damages should be. Some people are so badly hurt that they can never return to work. A lifetime of lost earnings will likely add up to significant financial compensation.
Your damages do not have to cost money to warrant compensation. Psychological and emotional distress is a common experience of many accident survivors, and these painful experiences deserve compensation.
How to Develop a Strong Case for Truck Accident Injuries in Shrewsbury, MA
We need as much evidence as possible to build the strongest case possible to get you compensation. A good place to begin is the accident scene. Many truck accidents involve lots of people, and there might be numerous witnesses who can testify about what they saw.
Many trucks are outfitted with a black box recording device, kind of like the ones on planes. The device records all sorts of data about the trucker’s driving. For example, the distance traveled, brake times, speed, and other details leading up to the accident may be recorded. We can get copies of this data and analyze it to see if it sheds light on your accident.
Trucking company records might also play a vital role in your case. If we believe the truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, we might check driving logs from the truck company to see when their last break was before the crash.
Talk to Our Shrewsbury, MA Truck Accident Attorneys Right Away
For a review of your case for no cost, call (617) 925-6407 and speak to our truck accident lawyers at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan.
