Have you or a loved one been hurt in a commercial truck crash in Baton Rouge? If so, you know how overwhelming things can be afterward. You could feel unsure about your next steps and stressed about your current and future financial situation. But have the right to demand fair compensation by filing a truck accident injury claim — and The Thibeaux Firm is here to help.

Attorney Omar Thibeaux, who founded our law practice, has many years of experience fighting for and protect the rights and interests of accident victims across Louisiana. But he brings a distinct advantage to every accident case: a combination of strong legal expertise and financial value. He’s known throughout the Pelican State as “The 25% Attorney,” in that he only charges a flat 25% attorney fee on any money he recovers for you. This is much less than the industry standard of 33 to 40%, so you get to keep more money in your pocket.

Contact The Thibeaux Firm for a free initial case review with a caring Baton Rouge truck accident attorney. Learn how we can help you pursue the money you need to get your life back on track — all at no out-of-pocket costs to you.

Benefits of Hiring a Baton Rouge Attorney for Your Truck Accident Claim

A semi-truck crash can leave you with painful injuries and in need of considerable medical care and therapy. That can make it hard to pursue the compensation you could be owed from the people at fault for the accident. When you hire a seasoned and determined Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer from The Thibeaux Firm, you’ll benefit from an experienced advocate who can handle the details of your legal case. With us on your side, you can focus on healing and putting your life back together.

We can help you by:

  • Thoroughly investigating the accident to recover crucial evidence
  • Identifying liable parties and avenues for compensation
  • Documenting your injuries and losses to understand your case’s fair value
  • Preparing and filing your insurance and legal claims
  • Vigorously negotiating with trucking and insurance company representatives
  • Preparing compelling arguments to advocate for your right to compensation at trial
  • Never charging anything to get started on your case

As home to “The 25% Attorney,” we at The Thibeaux Firm charge a flat 25 percent contingency fee in accident cases. Not only is this lower than the industry standard of 33 to 40 percent, but you only have to pay it if we win your case first. That way, there’s no financial risk to standing up for your rights — and there’s more money back in your wallet if we win.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

What you do after an accident with an 18-wheeler in Louisiana can have a big effect on the outcome of your case. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your right to compensation:

  • Contact law enforcement to report the crash. If an officer responds to the crash scene, remember to obtain a copy of the police accident report they take.
  • Seek prompt medical attention and follow your physician’s treatment plan.
  • Report the accident to your auto insurance provider.
  • Request copies of your medical records.
  • Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts to document your expenses.
  • Gather your pay stubs/income statements if you miss time from work or need to transfer to a modified-duty position.

Finally, contact a truck accident attorney from The Thibeaux Firm to discuss your options and start pursuing your claim.

How We Investigate Baton Rouge Truck Accident Cases

At The Thibeaux Firm, we recognize that an effective truck accident claim will require compelling evidence establishing another party’s fault and how much they owe you. That evidence might include the following:

  • Police crash reports or citation/arrest records
  • Post-crash drug/alcohol test results
  • Truck driver hours-of-service logs
  • Truck cargo manifests
  • Truck repair/maintenance records
  • Truck event data recorder (“black box”) logs
  • Accident scene photos and videos
  • Surveillance, traffic, or dashboard camera footage
  • Eyewitness statements
  • Driver cell phone records
  • Accident reconstruction expert reports and testimony

Why Trucking Accidents Are More Complicated Than Other Motor Vehicle Crashes

Truck accidents involve unique factors that make claims particularly challenging to pursue. These factors include the following:

  • Truck accidents can cause more severe injuries, which requires crash victims to seek more substantial compensation. This can complicate settlement negotiations, as trucking companies and insurers typically fight harder to avoid higher settlement amounts.
  • Truck accidents may have multiple liable parties, slowing the claims process as each at-fault party tries to shift more liability onto other at-fault parties.
  • Truck accident cases can involve substantial evidence, making it challenging to identify the cause or causes of the crash and the parties at fault.
  • Trucking companies may have complex insurance coverages or corporate structures, making it challenging to identify the liable parties or the amount of insurance coverage available.

Compensation You Could Recover in a Baton Rouge Truck Accident Claim

If someone else is responsible for the harm you’ve suffered, they could owe you truck accident compensation for your:

  • Medical treatment and rehabilitation, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, physical/occupational therapy, and pain management
  • Long-term disability care, including home health services, housekeeping/childcare assistance, or disability accommodations
  • Ongoing and future losses of income and employment benefits
  • Pain and suffering
  • Reduced quality of life caused by disabilities or disfigurement
  • Vehicle repair bills or reimbursement for the actual cash value of your car if it was totaled by the accident

If your family has lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident in Baton Rouge, you may have the right to seek financial recovery through a wrongful death claim for losses such as:

  • Your loved one’s final medical expenses
  • Funeral and burial costs
  • Lost earnings and benefits your loved one would have received had they lived
  • The value of your loved one’s household services
  • Family members’ anguish and grief
  • Loss of your loved one’s care, companionship, guidance, and support

Parties Who Could Be Held Liable for a Truck Wreck in Baton Rouge

Various parties may bear liability for your injuries depending on the causes of the truck accident, including:

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company
  • The truck’s owner
  • The shipping/cargo company
  • The truck’s mechanic
  • The truck manufacturer
  • A truck part manufacturer

Could You Recover Compensation if You’re Partly to Blame for a Trucking Accident?

You can still pursue some financial recovery for your injuries and losses, even if you bear some blame for a truck crash in Baton Rouge. Louisiana follows a pure comparative negligence rule for injury claims. Under this rule, being partially at fault for your injuries does not bar you from recovering compensation from other at-fault parties, as it does in some jurisdictions. However, the rule also states that any compensation you might recover in a legal claim is reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault you bear for the truck accident that injures you.

Is a truck driver, trucking company, or insurer trying to blame you for the truck crash? Then contact an attorney from The Thibeaux Firm immediately. We can push back against attempts to shift fault onto you and seek to maximize the compensation you can recover.

How Long Do You Have to File a Trucking Accident Lawsuit in Louisiana?

Under Louisiana’s statute of limitations, you typically have just one year from the date of the incident to file a truck accident lawsuit. Because you have limited time to start a compensation claim after a truck accident, contact a determined Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer from The Thibeaux Firm as soon as possible to get started on your claims get filed on time. Late filing means your case could be dismissed as untimely, which would likely cost you your right to recover the money you need and deserve for what your accident has caused you.

Common Types and Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents in Baton Rouge

The legal team at The Thibeaux Firm represents victims of all kinds of commercial truck accidents in Baton Rouge, including crashes such as:

  • Rear-end collisions
  • Sideswipe collisions
  • Underride accidents
  • Side-impact/T-bone collisions
  • Head-on collisions
  • Wide turn accidents
  • Jackknife accidents
  • Rollover accidents
  • Cargo accidents

Many truck accidents occur due to careless decisions by truck drivers and trucking companies. Some of the top causes of crashes include:

  • Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
  • Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
  • Tailgating/following too closely
  • Running red lights and stop signs
  • Failing to yield the right of way
  • Turning or changing lanes without signaling or checking blind spots
  • Unsafe or illegal turns, lane changes, or passes
  • Distracted driving
  • Drowsy/fatigued driving
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Improper wide turns
  • Backing up without looking
  • Trucker inexperience or unfamiliarity with the route
  • Unsafe cargo loads, including excessive weight, unbalanced loads, and unsecured items
  • Inadequate truck maintenance

Typical Injuries Resulting from a Truck Collision

The massive weight of commercial trucks means these vehicles impart more violent force than other vehicles, which frequently leads to more severe injuries in accidents. Common types of truck accident injury include:

  • Severe lacerations, excessive bleeding, and permanent scarring
  • Abrasions
  • Degloving injuries
  • Dislocated joints
  • Sprained/torn ligaments, tendons, or muscles
  • Broken bones
  • Herniated spinal disc injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Nerve damage
  • Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
  • Spinal cord injuries/paralysis
  • Facial injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Burns from post-collision vehicle fires
  • Traumatic amputation/limb loss

Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in Baton Rouge Today

Have you suffered injuries and property damage in a big rig accident in Baton Rouge? If so, you could be entitled to money for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. We’re prepared to start work on your case at no upfront cost to you, and our truck accident law firm only asks for a flat and fair 25 percent fee if we win your case.

Let a truck accident lawyer in Baton Rouge discuss your options for demanding accountability for what you’ve suffered and securing the compensation you need for your recovery. Contact The Thibeaux Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.