If you were injured in a truck accident, it’s essential to understand why truck accident cases are different from car accident cases. Among the critical differences between car and truck accident lawsuits are the cases’ relative complexity, the extent of the injuries they cause, and the specific trucking and insurance companies that could be involved. Hiring a truck accident attorney in Louisiana is the best way to protect your rights and seek the compensation you deserve.
Multiple At-Fault Parties
A truck accident legal strategy is slightly different from a car accident legal strategy because there are potentially more at-fault parties. Some of these parties include:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Cargo loaders
- Vehicle maintenance providers
- Vehicle manufacturers
- Other motorists
- Governmental entities
In order to secure maximum compensation, you may have to identify each at-fault party and determine to what degree their actions caused the accident.
In-Depth Investigation Necessary
On that note, you will likely need to conduct an in-depth investigation into the accident to identify every at-fault party. This investigation will include photographing the accident scene, obtaining footage from nearby traffic and security cameras, collecting eyewitness statements, and hiring expert witnesses to provide testimony.
While expert witnesses may play a major role in some car accident lawsuits, they’re even more essential in truck accident cases. These experts can be medical professionals testifying about your injuries, vocational experts testifying about the impact your injuries will have on your ability to work, or trucking industry insiders testifying about the trucking company’s negligence.
State and Federal Regulations
Unlike car accident cases, which typically involve only state laws, the trucking industry is subject to complex federal regulation. This means there are special legal strategies in truck accidents that do not come into play in car accident cases. For example, your case may involve both Louisiana and federal cargo securement laws. Your attorney may also need to prove that the truck driver violated federal hours of service regulations.
Extensive Damages
Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, which means they impart considerably more force on impact than passenger vehicles, which weigh just a few thousand pounds on average. This typically leads to more severe and extensive injuries, including long-term and permanent disabilities.
The worse your injuries are, the more compensation you may be owed. The best way to accurately calculate that amount is by working with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
High-Powered Corporate and Insurance Defenses
Finally, trucking companies and their insurance providers have high-powered legal teams that will do whatever it takes to reduce the compensation they owe you. An experienced truck accident lawyer will have the knowledge and skills to fight back against corporate lawyers’ tactics and will give you the best chance of maximizing your compensation.
Contact Our Louisiana Truck Accident Attorney
If you suffered injuries in a truck accident in Louisiana, contact The Thibeaux Firm for a free consultation with an experienced and tenacious personal injury lawyer. Attorney Omar Thibeaux is the 25% attorney, charging a flat 25% fee for cases where he wins compensation for you.
