TRUCK ACCIDENTS
Memphis Truck Accidents Attorney
A car accident can be traumatic, but a Memphis truck accident can be devastating or worse. Each year, hundreds of drivers and passengers throughout the United States are killed in collisions between a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck. Many more suffer catastrophic injuries such as amputations, spinal cord and neck injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
You might think that commercial drivers are safer than ordinary drivers because of the increased responsibility the law places upon them. However, statistics do not support such a conclusion. In fact, your risk of suffering serious or fatal injuries increases when your passenger vehicle collides with a commercial truck. These injuries can affect your life for months or even years and leave you with thousands of dollars in financial losses and bills. It is during such times that the advice and representation of an experienced attorney from Douglass & Runger, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, can mean the difference between recovering compensation for your injuries and losses or not.
Causes Of Memphis Truck Accidents
Truck drivers and operators of other large commercial vehicles must comply with more stringent requirements that can assist investigators in determining the cause of an accident in which the commercial driver is involved. Logbooks, medical certifications, and the commercial vehicle’s own onboard computer can prove invaluable in determining fault after a truck accident. Some common causes of Tennessee truck accidents include:
- The commercial driver was drowsy or drove in excess of his or her allowable hours;
- Distracted driving or driving while texting;
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or impairing substance;
- Speeding or violating other traffic laws;
- Overloading of the tractor-trailer; and/or
- Braking too quickly (which can result in a “jackknife” accident) or not following appropriate safety rules for operating the vehicle.
In order to determine the cause of a trucking accident, eyewitness statements and evidence at the accident scene should ideally be combined with evidence obtained from the truck driver and/or his employer in order to determine all causes of the accident and, therefore, all responsible parties. However, some of this evidence – the data from the truck’s onboard computer or the driver’s logbooks, for instance – can become irretrievably lost if steps are not taken soon after the truck accident that will preserve this evidence for further review. This in part explains why it is important to retain dedicated and aggressive legal counsel soon after a truck accident.
“Shouldn’t I Just Settle With The Trucking Company?”
It is not uncommon for the attorneys representing a trucking company to approach injury victims shortly after a trucking accident and attempt to settle the case without taking the case to court. As appealing as this option may sound, it is usually advisable to discuss this situation with your own Tennessee trucking accident lawyer first for several reasons:
- The settlement offer is typically much lower than you will need to meet all of your expenses and losses;
- Most settlement offers do not provide any compensation for pain and suffering you may have endured;
- If you take a settlement and then discover you have additional losses, you are usually precluded from attempting to obtain additional compensation from the trucking company for these new expenses and losses; and
- A settlement may adversely impact your ability to pursue compensation and damages from other at-fault parties.
Call Douglass & Runger, Pllc Today For The Skilled Representation You Deserve
One of the first things you should do after a trucking accident is seek immediate medical attention. Then, your next order of business should be to contact the attorneys at Douglass & Runger, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, right away. Their experienced truck accident lawyers will take the necessary steps to protect your legal rights and will vigorously represent your interests both in and out of court. Contact Douglass & Runger, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, today for experienced and dedicated legal counsel by calling (901) 388-5805. We look forward to making a difference for you.