Even a tractor-trailer without any cargo loaded into it is likely to be the biggest and heaviest vehicle on any public road it travels down, and fully loaded semis can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds while on interstate highways. With that in mind, it probably goes without saying that any collision between a tractor-trailer and a smaller commuter car is especially likely to cause devastating harm—something far too many Arizona families learn every year when they get caught up in wrecks caused by a truck driver’s negligence.
After a wreck of this nature, your first priority should be getting the medical care you need to stabilize and treat your injuries, but your next priority should be contacting a seasoned Gilbert truck accident lawyer. Truck drivers and trucking companies who irresponsibly cause crashes should be held accountable for their actions, and support from a professional personal injury attorney with more than 30 years of settlement and trial experience can be crucial to doing that in an effective and efficient way.
Establishing Liability for a Truck Crash
In many situations, proving someone else at fault for causing a truck accident works essentially the same way as proving a regular driver at fault for a collision between two commuter cars. Truck drivers have a “duty of care” requiring them to act lawfully and responsibly behind the wheel just like all other licensed Arizona drivers do, and any trucker who “breaches” their duty and causes an otherwise avoidable wreck as a direct result could hold civil liability for any injuries and losses that crash directly leads someone else to suffer.
That said, individual truckers rarely have enough personal assets to cover the immense losses that a collision of this nature can cause, which is why it can be important to determine whether multiple parties share some liability for a particular truck crash—something a seasoned Gilbert truck accident attorney could provide vital assistance with. Trucking companies can often be held “vicariously liable” for their employee’s misconduct or directly liable for their own negligence at the organizational level, and various third parties may hold some fault for a wreck as well. For example, a mechanic who failed to fix a truck’s faulty brakes, or a manufacturer which made and sold those defective brakes in the first place could share responsibility for the damages.
Recovering Comprehensively Within Filing Deadlines
Through a successful settlement demand or lawsuit, it may be possible to recover for both economic and non-economic repercussions of a truck wreck, such as:
- Short-term and long-term medical bills
- Lost work income and/or future working capacity
- Personal property damage, including car repair/replacement costs and related expenses like rental car fees
- Physical discomfort and pain
- Psychological and emotional suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life, including lost consortium
As a truck injury lawyer in Gilbert could affirm, though, Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542 generally limits people injured in auto accidents of any kind to just two years after their wrecks to begin the civil litigation process, meaning it can be crucial to start building a claim as soon as possible following a serious collision.
Seek Help From a Gilbert Truck Accident Attorney
Given how much mass they have under their direct control, it is especially vital for long-haul truckers to act responsibly at all times behind the wheel, and it can be especially catastrophic when they do not. Fortunately, you have help available to you after a traumatic truck crash from a dedicated legal professional with a track record of achieving favorable results from claims much like yours.
A Gilbert truck accident lawyer from the Phillips Law Group could review your rights and legal options in detail with you during a confidential consultation. Call today to schedule yours.
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