When to Call a Colorado Truck Accident Law Firm
When you’ve been in an accident caused by a careless truck driver, it’s a scary and chaotic time, especially when you have to fight insurance companies who don’t want to compensate you for the harm you’ve suffered. The more you know about why these accidents happen, the better equipped you’ll be to fight for compensation for the injuries you’ve suffered. Let’s examine the statistics and facts surrounding truck accidents, the elements that go into a liability case and how the experienced team of Colorado truck accident lawyers Isaacs & Isaacs will assemble can help you to fight for justice and to get compensated for your damages.
We have experience with many commercial vehicle collisions involving:
Even if the vehicle that was involved in your truck crash isn’t listed above, don’t worry – we can help!
We know that you didn’t ask for this. Most of our clients involved in truck accidents were simply moving through their day when disaster struck. Some were riding their bicycle while others were driving as they normally do. Because of the actions of a truck driver – and more specifically, their negligent actions – many of our clients lives have been permanently affected. We can help you through this experience.
Truck Accident Statistics
It’s important, first, to define what a “truck” is. When we talk about trucks, we mean large commercial vehicles. These can include buses, 18-wheelers, large construction vehicles like cement trucks or any other commercial-use vehicles that are larger than an SUV or van. Among the best sources for truck accident statistics, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes annual reports that track data over time. The most recent report, which looks at data from 2017, indicates that 4,889 trucks were involved in fatal wrecks, which was up by 9% from the prior year.
Though still lower than the peak of 5,231 in 2005, fatal crashes involving trucks have been on the rise by 42% since 2009, when they were at their lowest point. Crashes involving serious injuries have also been on the rise since 2009, and by 2017 were up by 62%. Between 2016 and 2017 alone, they increased by 4%. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2018 large-truck accidents resulted in the deaths of 2,786 passenger-vehicle occupants, 678 large-truck occupants and 619 motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. This is a total of 4,136 fatalities from truck accidents.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
The most common causes of commercial vehicle accidents are inadequate training, company policies that encourage unsafe driving practices and unrealistic expectations laid upon truckers, according to FindLaw. Other causes include improperly balanced vehicles due to cargo shifting, distracted driving, DUI and systems failures. Learn more by clicking on the links below:
What to Do If You’re in a Truck-Related Accident
If you are in an accident with a large commercial vehicle, you should contact a knowledgeable, qualified and experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Never talk to the insurance adjuster from the trucking company. They are not your friend, and when they find out that you won’t sign their initial lowball offer, they may become threatening or bullying, trying strong arm tactics or saying you’ll receive nothing if you don’t sign.
These are nothing but tactics, and if you sign their offer, you may forfeit your right to sue for the full amount of damages you deserve. You are always entitled to direct them to speak with your truck accident lawyer at Isaacs & Isaacs. The right attorney can cut through the bullying and buck-passing, remind everyone that you are the victim and help to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
Darryl Isaacs has taken some time to sit down with some of the most common questions he hears from truck accident victims. In the podcast episode below, he carefully answers them and talks to you about truck collisions and what you should know about them moving forward with the legal process. Click play to listen!
Complications With Truck Accident Cases
When you’re in an accident with a big rig and it’s not your fault, you may deserve compensation. The problem is that these cases can get very complicated. This is because there is often more than one party at fault, and all those who share the blame will do whatever they can to avoid paying out.
For example, the truck driver certainly shares some of the burden. But if they are performing duties within the scope of employment with a trucking company, the company may also bear some responsibility. State and federal laws set criteria to determine whether the driver is an employee, including:
- The degree of control the trucking company had over the trucker’s performance of their duties.
- The intent, place and nature of the conduct that led to the accident.
- Whether they were doing the work the company hired them to do.
- Whether the employer could reasonably expect the driver to be engaging in the activities in which they were engaging.
- Whether they were engaging in “off-the-clock” personal activities, the nature of these activities and how long they had been engaging in such activities.
If faulty parts on the truck were the cause of the accident, on the other hand, the manufacturer of those parts could be liable, as could the maintenance crew tasked with making sure the truck was in good working order. If the cargo was poorly balanced or improperly secured, any shippers or cargo loaders could be liable. The list goes on and on.
Passing the Buck
Trucking companies have a long history of passing the buck when it comes to trucking accidents. They will try anything they can to demonstrate that the trucker was, in fact, an independent contractor so as to avoid liability. Fortunately, current laws regulating the trucking industry make this very difficult. As NOLO points out, current federal law holds any company that owns a truck responsible for accidents involving that truck if the vehicle displays the company’s name or placard.
The Colorado truck accident attorneys that join your team are ready to hear your important story. They will provide a free review of your case, walking through each essential element, so that all injured parties involved (or family members representing them) can feel secure before we get to any important decisions.
How Much Can a Colorado Truck Accident Attorney Win?
- Medical bills past and future, including trips to the doctor, medications, physical therapy and procedures.
- Lost wages and compensation.
- Lost potential future earnings.
- Property damage.
Those aspects that are more subjective are called general damages. They include:
- Pain and suffering.
- Emotional trauma.
- Loss of consortium, comfort and relationships.
- Damage to your quality of life.
- Punitive damages (if any).
General damages are calculated by assigning a dollar value to each type of injury or by using a multiple of special damages. In some cases, calculations may use both methods. Each attorney and insurance company has their own method of calculating these, and they rarely agree. Your Isaacs & Isaacs assembled team of Colorado truck accident attorneys will be happy to sit down with you and give you an estimate of what they think the value of your case might be, but the defendants will always try to reduce that as low as possible.
Experienced Colorado Truck Accident Law Firm
The attorneys at Isaacs & Isaacs will assemble a team of experienced and qualified Colorado truck accident lawyers who know that you need a friend in this time of crisis to fight every step of the way for your rights. These attorneys will be your partners — they’ll make sure you get the compensation you deserve and will hold accountable those who are at fault for your injury.
We have helped people across the nation and have secured millions in compensation for our clients. While most cases settle, if the big truck companies won’t be fair, the team of experienced truck accident lawyers Isaacs & Isaacs will assemble, will be prepared to take your case to Court if necessary. Get in touch with us for a free, no-obligation consultation about your case today.
Darryl Isaacs and the experienced truck accident attorneys have more than 25 years of experience to draw upon when fighting for your rights. In Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio alone we have recovered over $1 Billion for clients. We will put the full weight of our knowledge and practice behind your case, and assemble the most appropriate Alabama truck accident lawyers to fight for your cause.
Take the next step and reach out to us today at 877-591-1636. You can call us any time around the clock.
Do I Have to Go to Court?
Most accident cases don’t end up in court. This is because it rarely benefits anyone to take it to that extreme. Going to court means negotiations have failed and it’s all or nothing. More often than not, your case will begin with your attorney issuing a valuation of your case in a demand letter to the defendants. The defendants will then respond with a lowball counteroffer.
After this, it usually becomes a back-and-forth until both sides reach a middle ground that is acceptable to everyone. The process can take some time to accomplish, and in some rare cases where there is a true impasse, going to court is a necessity. Your Isaacs & Isaacs assembled team of Colorado truck accident attorneys will always be honest and forthright with you regarding the status of your case and will always act in your best interest.
