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Injured in a Truck Accident? Don't Wait, Call a DOTHAN TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER Today
Find A Truck Accident Attorney At Wettermark Keith
Known for being the "Peanut Capital of America," Dothan produces over half of all peanuts grown in the USA. Peanut trucks combined with other commercial trucking vehicles can make the roadways around Dothan more prone to mishaps. Trucks use the same roads as passenger cars, but they have several characteristics that make them more likely to be in an accident.
Injuries from fully loaded truck collisions, such as a semi-truck crash, where vehicles are traveling at considerable speed can be serious and deadly. If you or someone you care about is one of these victims with a truck accident injury, you need the aid of a truck accident attorney experienced in handling commercial truck accidents and injury in Alabama. At the office of Wettermark Keith, our Dothan truck accident attorneys have many years of cumulative legal experience that include hours dealing in commercial truck accident claims. Our firm has helped victims recover hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate them for their injuries. Let our legal team help you too.
WHY ARE ACCIDENTS AND INJURY WITH TRUCKS MORE SERIOUS?
There are many reasons large trucking vehicles are involved in so many serious accidents.
- Because of a truck's size and weight, it takes longer to stop. At the same speed as passenger cars, trucks travel more than twice as far before their drivers can bring them to a stop. Sudden stops more easily managed by cars, can have negative consequences for a truck traveling at higher speeds.
- Trucks also are considerably more difficult to maneuver. For larger “big rig trucks" and "18 wheelers," right turns actually start with their driver pulling wide to the left to get a better turning angle. For a vehicle traveling behind a truck, this “drifting left to turn right” movement can easily have a tendency to cause accidents.
- Trucks usually carry heavy loads of cargo. Shifting weight during transport and the extra weight itself, makes accidents more serious and deadly.
- Electronic devices such as navigation directions equipment, phones, pagers and radios can distract truck drivers.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON INJURIES FROM TRUCK ACCIDENTS?
The types of personal injury you can get from truck accidents really depend on each situation. If you were wearing a seat-belt, were off the interstate, and were moving at a slow speed, you are less likely to experience severe injuries. Unfortunately, trucking accidents routinely cause serious injuries because of the vehicle’s size and weight. All injuries received in a truck accident should be taken seriously even if the victim feels fine. A visit to the doctor or hospital can verify there are no internal injuries or organ damage. Several common injuries truck accidents include are:
- Spine and neck injury
- Brain and head injury
- Internal Bleeding
- Organ damage
- Amputation
- Bone Fractures
- Paralysis
- Scarring and/or Disfigurement
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Death
WE CAN HELP TELL YOUR STORY.
WHY ARE COMMERCIAL TRUCK ACCIDENTS SO COMPLICATED?
A collision involving a trucking vehicle involves all the questions that are addressed in every type of accident. These questions include:
- What was the speed of the vehicles involved in the accident?
- Were the drivers following the rules of the road such as staying in their lanes, signaling their intent to change lanes, keeping a safe distance between vehicles, etc.?
- Were any of the drivers drunk, under the influence of drugs, or plainly distracted?
When a trucking vehicle is involved, additional questions need to be answered. These questions are important because they may impact a victim's chance of being compensated for their injuries. Some of these type questions are:
- Who owns the truck and who was responsible for its operation at the time of the accident? (In a commercial trucking situation, the truck may be owned or leased by the driver or a company and can mean dealing with more than one insurance agency.)
- Is the truck subject to the federal trucking safety regulations imposed on trucks that are used in interstate commerce?
- Were both driver and truck in compliance with all safety regulations imposed by all levels of government (local, state and federal)?
- What cargo was the truck carrying? (If the cargo included hazardous material, additional regulations will apply and victims may suffer additional injuries.)
How quickly and efficiently these questions get answered is tremendously important to victims who may be too injured to work, walk, or simply live as they did before the accident. At Wettermark Keith, our Dothan truck accident lawyers have pursued these answers in many cases. We know where the answers are likely to be found and more importantly, how the people who caused your injuries are likely to avoid answering these questions.
WHY DO ATTORNEYS WANT THE EVENT DATA RECORDING FROM A TRUCK CRASH?
The vehicle performance data from Event Data Recorders (EDRs) can make accident cases easier and quicker to pursue. These electronic devices come in many models and configurations and differ a bit in the information they record when there’s an accident. However, most of the devices capture basic information such as speed and braking, shedding light on the accident particulars.
The personal injury attorneys at Wettermark Keith have the experience to find and use the EDR information that can make the difference in your case. That means knowing local vehicle experts and engineers who can retrieve the data from EDRs, and understanding what those details and facts might mean to your case.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER A TRUCKING ACCIDENT?
Most people don’t know what to do after being involved in a trucking accident. Our general advice is to take things a step at a time. Dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident is overwhelming, but failing to take care of the most important things will make it worse.
After your accident, take stock of the situation, if you’re able. Assess yourself for any immediate medical needs, as well as that of others involved. Call 911 or direct someone else to do so. Police, ambulances, fire fighters, and other first responders will be on their way as soon as possible. While you’re waiting, ensure that your surroundings are safe. If needed, move yourself and your car out of harm’s way.
When you’re confident you’ve gotten the situation under control, begin gathering evidence. Take pictures of the scene with your phone or camera. Take notes on your device or a piece of paper to describe the situation as much as you can. Write down as much as you can remember. With their permission, ask witnesses near the scene for their testimony reviews and record them on a phone with video capabilities or voice recorder.
When the police arrive, file an accident report and describe the details of the accident and truck accident injuries. Call other people you may need to alert. From there, we highly recommend contacting an experienced truck accident Alabama attorney. Dothan's Wettermark Keith law firm will help you with the details of pursuing a claim and compensation. The sooner you’re able to contact our truck accident lawyers, the better, as they’ll be able to help you get the information you need from the site of the crash. Besides, dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, and a truck accident lawyer by yourself is the last thing you want to do while recovering.
WHAT KINDS OF COMPENSATION CAN A TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER RECOVER?
Compensation isn’t just about someone paying for damages and their negligence or wrongdoing. When sufficient for the severity of the crash, it helps to reimburse you for the financial, physical, and emotional burden that’s been placed upon you. After being involved in a truck accident, these are the potential types of compensation a truck accident lawyer can pursue:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damages
- Physical therapy
- Medical equipment
- Counseling
You don’t have to face the daunting costs of recovering from an accident by yourself. Hire a personal injury lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
DOTHAN TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS SERVE JUSTICE – ONE CASE AT A TIME
At Wettermark Keith, no case is too big and no case is too small for our expert injury lawyers to pursue. Our top attorneys represent each and every client with the utmost respect and compassion. They employ thorough legal expertise and have hours of experience needed to make your claim a success. We realize this is likely a difficult situation for you and possibly your family. We are here for you.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person in a car accident, contact our super lawyers today. We'll take the lead and together we can seek a financial compensation figure that meets your needs as a victim and can continue to provide for you, long after this ordeal is over.
"NO RECOVERY, NO FEE GUARANTEE" FOR YOUR DOTHAN TRUCK ACCIDENT
When selecting clients to represent in court, our firm operates on a contingency fee basis. What this means to our Dothan clients is simple: if we don’t win your case, you won’t pay anything. Our firm chooses to operate this way for the sole benefit of our clients. We want to see you obtain a successful recovery so that you can continue to carry on with your life. We offer a free initial consultation where we can get an overview of your case and lead you through the steps to a successful outcome of your claim.
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE WETTERMARK KEITH LAW FIRM?
Knowledge, experience and commitment to our clients, is what makes us a top rated Dothan truck accident attorney law firm. Many truck accident cases involve businesses and insurance companies that have much more money and a lot more power than the victims of the accidents. At the Dothan law firm of Wettermark Keith, we can offset that with experience, diligence, and determination. The hundreds of millions of dollars we have recovered for our clients attest to it and stokes us to continue working hard for you. Wettermark Keith has an excellent reputation and is a name you can trust. If you have a truck accident injury, the sooner you get us involved, the more likely it is we can help.
Check out our social media Facebook page and visit our website. Then contact our Dothan, AL office if you have been the victim of a Dothan truck accident, a personal injury or lost a loved one to a wrongful death. Fill out the free case evaluation form on our website below and a lawyer will get back to you within a few hours to arrange a free office visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Truck accidents are more severe due to the size and weight of trucks, which make them harder to maneuver and stop. Additionally, trucks often carry heavy or hazardous cargo that can exacerbate injuries in an accident.
Common injuries include spine and neck injuries, brain and head trauma, internal bleeding, organ damage, amputations, bone fractures, paralysis, scarring, disfigurement, lacerations, burns, and in severe cases, death.
Truck accidents involve factors like ownership and operation responsibility, compliance with safety regulations, and the nature of the cargo carried. These factors introduce additional complexity in determining liability and pursuing compensation.
EDRs record vehicle performance data like speed and braking, which can be crucial in reconstructing the accident and establishing liability. Experienced attorneys can effectively use this data to strengthen a case.
Liability can fall on various parties including the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, or manufacturers of truck parts. Determining liability often requires thorough investigation and legal expertise.
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