Truck accidents involving jackknifed semis are some of the most catastrophic. Given the size of semi-trucks, they can be quite challenging to operate, and any negligent act can prove disastrous. Fortunately, victims can seek legal help and claim compensation for the damages.
If you or your loved one is a victim of such an accident, it may be ideal to hire a Louisville jackknifed semi lawyer and learn your legal options.
How a Jackknifed Semi Attorney in Louisville Can Help Your Case
Hiring a jackknifed semi lawyer in Louisville can help improve the outcome of your case. To increase your chances of fair compensation, your lawyer will:
- Collect evidence, such as witness information, police reports, and expert testimonies, to support your claim
- Thoroughly investigate the case to know who’s at-fault
- Determine the value of your damages
- Handle all correspondence with the at-fault driver’s insurance company
- File a claim as per the statute of limitations
- Negotiate a fair settlement
- File a lawsuit, especially if you’re unable to settle
- Represent you in court
For a free legal consultation with a jackknifed semi lawyer serving Louisville, call 800-333-9999
Damages to Claim in Jackknifed Semi Accidents
To help victims and their family members deal with the effects of these accidents, lawyers can help them file claims or sue the at-fault parties. As such, you might be entitled to damages like:
- Loss of wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Past, present, and future medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of limb, disfigurement, or disability
- The cost of home and vehicle renovations to accommodate a disability
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
If the accident was fatal, family members could also claim funeral and burial expenses, loss of lifetime income, and more. Your jackknifed semi attorney in Louisville can gather enough evidence to prove your damages, value them, and fight to get you fair compensation. Get in touch with Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers and learn more about claiming compensation after a jackknife semi accident.
Louisville Jackknifed Semi Lawyer Near Me 800-333-9999
What to Do After a Jackknife Accident
Jackknife accident victims and their family members can file a claim or lawsuit for compensation. Therefore, to protect your legal rights, knowing what to do immediately after the accident is crucial.
Here’s what you should do to preserve and collect evidence that proves your claim:
Call 911
It’s crucial to call the police immediately after a crash. The police collect crucial evidence that can help determine the at-fault party. The police also prepare an official accident report, a vital piece of evidence for your claim.
Collect Details of the Driver
Write down the relevant details of the truck driver, including their name, insurance information, the name of the trucking company, and contact information.
Take Photos of the Scene
Take clear pictures or videos of the accident scene. This includes the damages to your vehicle or property, damages to the truck or any other vehicle on the scene, photos of your injuries, traffic lights, and skid marks.
Get Witness Information
Witnesses also play a major role in proving fault or determining the cause of the accident. If witnesses are at the scene, ensure you get their contact information. Your Louisville jackknifed semi attorney will collect their statements and use them to support your claim.
Seek Medical Attention
We recommend seeking immediate medical attention, whether or not you’re hurt. Medical and doctor’s reports are vital in proving economic damages. Also, some injuries might stay hidden and can be very severe or fatal if not diagnosed immediately.
Call a Lawyer
To avoid making mistakes that can negatively affect your claim, it may be best to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. Contact Darryl “The Hammer” Isaacs and learn how to protect your claim.
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Common Injuries in Jackknifed Semi Accidents
Fully loaded tractor trailers or 18-wheelers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When such vehicles jackknife, they can cause catastrophic damages. Victims can sustain severe and life-altering injuries, including:
- Amputations
- Head and neck injuries
- Fractured and broken bones
- Spinal injuries
- Bruising, lacerations, and swelling
- Punctured organs
- Nerve damage, broken vertebrae, and herniated discs
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Common Causes of Jackknifed Semi Accidents
Each year, jackknifed semi-truck accidents cause thousands of injuries and claim hundreds of lives. Here are some of the common causes of such accidents:
- Improperly Secured Cargo: These can throw a semi-truck off balance, causing it to jackknife, tip over, and sway.
- Mechanical Failures: Trucking companies must always keep their fleet in good condition. Improperly maintained trucks can have issues such as brake failures, which can cause serious accidents.
- Fatigue Driving: Since truck drivers cover long distances, their service hours are limited by the federal hours of service rules. If a truck driver fails to comply with the regulations, the driver and the trucking company can be held liable for an accident.
- Drunk or Impaired Driving: Alcohol and other intoxicating substances impair a driver’s reaction time, diminish motor skills, and cause poor judgments while on the road. Those guilty of drunk driving can be held liable for accidents, be required to pay fines, face jail time, and even lose their licenses.
- Speeding: 18-wheelers and heavy trucks traveling at high speed are more likely to crash or jackknife. As a precaution, drivers must maintain the legal speed limit and adhere to all traffic laws.
- Improper Braking: Apart from having good brakes, truck drivers should also ensure they operate the brakes safely and properly. Improperly trained, speeding, or distracted drivers risk braking dangerously and causing a jackknife accident.
- Steering Errors: 18-wheelers and truck trailers can easily jackknife when the drivers steer them incorrectly. Some steering-related accidents happen when a driver tries to maneuver to avoid other vehicles, during lane changes, or when taking sharp curves.
Other accidents occur as a result of poor weather conditions. Note that the cause of these accidents will also determine the liable party. In some cases, there can be more than one liable party.
Contact Us Today To Schedule a Free Case Review
At Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping accident victims seek justice and have recovered $1 billion in settlements for our clients. Since these accidents can be quite expensive to deal with, we’ll help you determine fault and fight to ensure you’re fairly compensated without incurring any upfront fees or costs. Contact a Louisville jackknife semi attorney today to schedule a free case review.
Call or text 800-333-9999 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
