Saraland, AL Truck Accident Lawyers

Commercial trucks are a critical part of Alabama’s economy, accounting for one of thirteen jobs in the state. Without truck drivers, many of Alabama’s rural communities would go without the food, raw supplies, and finished goods they need to survive. But with that role comes enormous responsibility—trucks are capable of causing catastrophic damage, even in low-speed crashes. Victims are often left struggling with permanent injuries, totaled vehicles, and a loss of income.

It’s crucial for victims of truck accidents to fight for the compensation they deserve after a crash. If someone else is responsible for the accident that caused your injuries, find out if you’re owed compensation now—call Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell at 251-651-0483 to set up a consultation with our Saraland team.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Alabama

Figuring out what caused a specific truck accident is a critical part of determining liability. When you know what went wrong, you can tell who was negligent and who is responsible for paying for your injuries. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Distracted driving

• Impaired driving

• Staying in a truck’s blind spot

• Unsafe turns or lane changes

• Fatigued driving, which can lead to microsleeps

• Improperly loaded or unbalanced cargo

• Speeding

It’s common for liability to lie with one of the drivers involved in a crash. One of the factors that complicate truck accidents is the fact that most truck drivers are employees. This means that their employer is responsible for what they do on the clock. Instead of just dealing with the other driver’s insurance policy, your attorney will likely have to go up against the trucking company, their insurance provider, and perhaps even their legal team.

Trucking companies can also be liable for accidents resulting from their own mistakes. They have an obligation to take reasonable steps to hire safe, reputable commercial drivers. If they hire drivers without checking the status of their CDL, looking into their driving history, or running a criminal background check, they could be liable if that driver goes on to cause a massive crash.

Types of Truck Collisions and Their Risks

The unique size and structure of tractor-trailers puts them in danger of a wide range of collision types. While some of these—rear-end and sideswipe—can be seen in crashes involving smaller vehicles, others are only seen in tractor-trailer collisions:

• Rear-end crashes involving commercial trucks cause much more damage than those only involving smaller vehicles. Even if the tractor-trailer is moving very slowly, the car in front is at risk of being crushed.

• Underride collisions happen when a smaller vehicle behind a truck runs into the back of the truck. They often get stuck under the truck, and fatal injuries are tragically common.

• Rollovers are an ever-present risk due to a truck’s high center of gravity. A rollover can leave cargo spread across the road, crush smaller vehicles in neighboring lanes, and cause highways to be shut down for hours.

• Right-turn accidents may happen when a truck driver misjudges their turn. Truck drivers must swing left before turning right. If they turn too far left, they may cross into the oncoming lane of traffic. If they don’t turn far enough left, they may run over a curb or hit cars in other lanes.

• Sideswipe collisions are often the result of a tractor-trailer’s sizable blind spot on all four sides. When a truck switches lanes, they run the risk of hitting a vehicle hovering in their blind spot.

Trucking Regulations

The trucking industry is governed by a long list of regulations set out by the FMCSA. These regulations can have a major impact on your case. Each set of requirements laid out by the FMCSA aims to make the roads safer by minimizing the risk of an accident. For example, hours of service regulations are intended to keep fatigued and overworked drivers off the road.

Cargo loading regulations should prevent overloaded or unbalanced trucks from ever reaching the road. When a company or driver chooses to violate these regulations, they make a clear and intentional choice to endanger others. As part of their investigation, your Saraland truck accident attorney will likely look into the driver’s documentation and records to look for any violations.

You Could Be Entitled to Compensation—We Can Help

If your accident was caused by another person’s negligence, there’s a good chance that they owe you compensation. The costs associated with a truck accident can be financially devastating—just think about medical care for serious injuries, replacing a vehicle, and spending an extended period of time away from work. If someone else is responsible for your accident, you owe it to yourself to hold them accountable and fight for the money you deserve.

Getting the compensation you’re owed is an uphill battle. Insurance and trucking companies do everything they can to avoid liability, since paying out a personal injury claim could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. You’ll need to prove that their client or employee is at fault for the accident and that your injuries are significant enough to warrant compensation. That’s why it’s important to reach out to an attorney early—we can ensure that valuable evidence is preserved and kept accessible.

That’s where we come in. Our extensive experience in truck accident claims gives us the insight needed to investigate your crash, understand the extent of your injuries, and build a case against the other party. We’ll calculate your losses and take on the insurance company. While most claims are settled out of court during negotiations, we are more than ready to advocate for you in court if the insurance company is unwilling to take your claim seriously. You can rely on our support and guidance every step of the way.

Contact Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell to Start Your Claim

Don’t wait any longer to start your truck accident claim and fight for justice. The sooner you reach out to Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell, the more time we have to build the strongest case possible. Get started now by scheduling a free consultation. Just call us at 251-651-0483 or reach out to us online.