Mesa Truck Accident Lawyers
Call our dedicated team of Mesa truck accident lawyers at 480-272-8700 for a free case consultation.
Arizona has some of the most dangerous roads in the country. The sheer number of trucks and big rigs traveling through the state adds to the dangerous conditions. Because of its central location in the southwest, Arizona sees trucking traffic going in all directions – east and west between California and the rest of the country and north and south from Mexico. For residents of Mesa and the Phoenix area, I-10 brings the greatest risks.
The year 2021 saw 2,831 traffic accidents involving tractor-trailers in Arizona. 784 of those crashes resulted in injuries and 81 resulted in a fatality. Tractor-trailer accidents were over 5 times more likely to be fatal compared to regular passenger car crashes.
Tractor-trailers, semi-trailers, concrete mixer trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, tanker trucks, and tow trucks are larger than most other passenger vehicles, sometimes carrying hazardous materials or oversize loads. The sheer size and weight of a truck make it hard to see around and maneuver. Smaller vehicles that get caught up in truck accidents usually end up with catastrophic damages, with drivers and passengers much more likely to suffer injuries.
For most trucking and transport companies, the most important thing is the bottom line – how to minimize cost and maximize profit. Even though there are federal laws and regulations limiting how long truckers can work before they must take a break, businesses with loose ethics may push those boundaries and their drivers to the limits and beyond.
Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of trucking accidents. If a truck driver causes an accident while they’re on the job and you get hurt or you lose a loved one as a result, you can hold both the driver and their employer legally responsible.
This is good for victims of truck accidents because trucking businesses usually have much deeper pockets than individual drivers. However, trucking companies who bend the rules are rarely interested in being held responsible for their actions. So when it comes to recovering compensation after a truck accident, you may have to fight a battle you never wanted. That’s where a good personal injury attorney comes in to take care of winning your case while you focus on your health.
If you get caught up in a trucking accident, you’re likely to have serious injuries. If the crash was someone else’s fault, then they should pay for the consequences. That means paying you compensation for any injuries or losses you’ve experienced because of the accident.
At AZ Injury, our award-winning personal injury lawyers in Mesa & Phoenix, AZ know what it takes to hold trucking companies accountable and get you the financial support you need to recover after a truck accident. We work on a contingency fee basis so that you don’t have to worry about legal fees upfront. Contact us or call us at (480) 272-8700 to schedule your free case consultation now.
What Should You Do After a Truck Accident in Arizona?
The two most important steps to take once the dust settles after a trucking accident are:
- Getting the medical attention you need, and
- Documenting evidence establishing how the accident happened.
Even if you feel “fine,” you should get checked out by a doctor. It’s possible you may have latent injuries, which may not become obvious until they get worse later down the line.
Getting checked out by a medical professional not just protects your health, but it records your injuries and establishes a paper trail after your accident. This is critical because to get compensation for your injuries in a personal injury lawsuit, you must prove causation and fault. To accomplish this, it’s much easier to link your injuries to an accident if you get them into the medical record one day after the incident compared to one month after.
The same goes for other evidence related to your accident. For example, you want to get photos or videos of the scene of the crash soon afterward. Otherwise, the conditions could change – a hedge that was blocking your view could be cut away. Other environmental factors that played a role in the accident could disappear, like ice on the road.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help you identify what evidence you need and gather the most convincing proof to back up your case. The statute of limitations in Arizona to file a personal injury claim after a truck accident is only 2 years. You should talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident so that you don’t miss this deadline.
Most Common Truck Accident Injuries
Because of the sheer physics involved, truck accidents usually result in catastrophic injuries, especially if you’re a passenger in a much smaller or lighter vehicle.
The most common truck accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions, skull fractures, brain hemorrhages, or other conditions that can affect your cognitive functions or personality
- Spinal cord injuries including permanent paralysis or mobility issues
- Burn injuries and other exposure injuries from hazardous cargo materials
- Bone fractures and other internal injuries, including broken ribs
- Herniated or bulging discs, whiplash, and other back and neck injuries
If your family member passed away in a truck accident, you could have a survivor’s claim on their behalf and a wrongful death claim to hold the responsible person accountable.
Types of Damages You Can Recover After a Truck Accident
Serious truck accident injuries usually require extensive medical treatment, physical therapy, and sometimes lifelong supportive care. To make matters worse, these types of life-changing injuries can also make you unable to work just when medical bills start to pile up.
A personal injury lawsuit should cover you for any expenses or losses related to your injury, including medical costs and lost income, for the past and the future. Catastrophic injuries with lifelong consequences should receive compensation not just for the effects on your life now, but for decades to come. The financial recovery you get in a lawsuit is called your damages.
- Economic or specific damages should compensate you for the financial losses you’ve experienced, such as medical expenses, hospital bills, out-of-pocket expenses, caretaking costs, and any wages you lost when you couldn’t work.
- Non-economic or general damages compensate you for your pain, emotional suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. While these are harder to quantify into numbers, a skilled lawyer will know what formulas to use to calculate your maximum recovery.
The more significant your injuries and losses, the greater compensation you should get in a settlement. In some cases, you may even get punitive damages, which are meant to punish the responsible party for especially bad or reckless behavior.
When could you get punitive damages in a truck accident case? Trucking companies are bound by the law to follow industry regulations. A trucking business that follows laws and regulations only on the surface while they pressure their drivers with under-the-table policies could be made to pay punitive damages, especially if they took additional steps to cover up their misdeeds or punished drivers who spoke out. Business policies that reward or encourage drivers to work overtime, fudge their hours to meet unreasonable deadlines, or break the law may also lead to punitive damages.
To get the maximum possible damages, you must present the strongest possible case to put fault where it belongs and get the full financial recovery that you deserve.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Truck Accident
One of the best steps you can take after a truck accident is to contact a personal injury lawyer with experience in truck accident cases. Because truck drivers are employees, that presents unique challenges compared to the “usual” car accident case.
In regular car accident cases, your insurance company isn’t actually on your side – their real priority is to pay out the least possible amount on your claim. After a truck accident, you must not only face resistance from insurance companies, but you will also have to deal with trucking companies that have no interest in giving up any of their profits, either.
While the deck may seem stacked against you, a good personal injury lawyer levels the playing field against these bigger players. When insurance companies try to minimize or deny your claims, your attorney will know your rights and how to fight for them.
When you work with the experienced legal team at AZ Injury, we put your best case forward from the beginning. We can help you gather the convincing proof you need to hold the people responsible for your injuries accountable for all that you’ve lost. The stronger the evidence you have in your favor, the stronger your position will be to negotiate a settlement that will actually take care of you and your family after experiencing a catastrophic injury.
Contact us or call us at (480) 272-8700 now to get started with your free case consultation.
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Mesa
1640 S. Stapely, Drive Suite 132
Mesa, Arizona 85204
Phoenix
Two N. Central Ave., Ste. 1800
Phoenix, AZ 85004