Honolulu Truck Accident Lawyers
Hawaii Personal Injury Law Firm Providing Valuable Legal Resources to Truck Accident Victims Seeking Fair Compensation
Have you been in an auto accident with commercial vehicles such as semi-trucks or other types of large trucks? Tractor trailers and 18-wheelers are essential to the United States economy as they transport goods and valuables here and there, but they pose a threat to other vehicles on the roads because of their sheer size and weight. If you have been in a semi-truck accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other potential losses. However, it is necessary to prove the negligence of the responsible party (or multiple responsible parties) to recover the truck accident settlement you deserve. This can be a complex legal challenge, especially in the direct aftermath of semi-truck accidents, as you may still be recovering from severe injuries or even grieving the loss of loved ones in a fatal crash. It’s important to remember that you needn’t go through the legal process on your own, as help is always available. Our Honolulu law firm represents clients in complex trucking accident cases as injured parties and their loved ones seek fair settlements from the trucking industry, negligent truck drivers, and other potentially responsible parties.
Following a trucking accident, you must attempt to remain calm while assessing the injuries to yourself and others involved in the collision. Attempt to gather as much evidence as possible, including photographs of the accident scene, any physical injuries, and damage to your motor vehicle. While you should attempt to remain civil as you seek contact information and insurance company provider information of the other drivers involved in the wreck, never go so far as to admit fault, don’t say you’re sorry, and do not diminish the severity of any personal injury. Trucking companies often send representatives to accident scenes to evaluate the damage done. Remember that these parties are not on your side but are there to limit their employers’ liability. Instead of speaking with the trucking company or any insurance adjuster, contact our experienced personal injury attorney and his legal team for a free case evaluation.
What Are Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents in Honolulu, Hawaii?
There are many different types of accidents involving commercial trucks like semis and other large trucks. A semi-truck or tractor-trailer can be involved in any sort of auto accident that typically impacts other smaller vehicles, but because of the size, weight, and load that semis often carry, there could be other unique causes behind trucking accidents. Our law firm has assisted clients with truck accident claims involving rollovers, runaway trucks, under-rides, rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, hit-and-run incidents, crashes caused by large blind spots, drunk driving accidents, and more.
Common causes of large truck accidents in Honolulu, Hawaii, include the following:
- Adverse weather conditions such as rain or fog
- Disobeying traffic signals and signs
- Distracted driving, including texting while driving
- Driver fatigue and drowsy driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Drugged driving
- Failure to perform required maintenance
- Faulty brakes
- Hours of service violations
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Inadequate roadway maintenance, like potholes or other road hazards
- Mechanical failure and vehicle defects
- Overloading
- Poor driver training
- Reckless or aggressive driving
- Speeding
Our law firm will seek the testimonies of accident reconstruction experts to help illustrate how the accident happened and prove fault on the part of others involved in the crash. We may also utilize medical records, police reports, eyewitness testimonies, and other evidence to help prove your truck accident claim.
What Are Common Injuries Caused by Trucking Accidents?
Like any type of motor vehicle accident, trucking accidents can result in serious injuries to drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. But where things differ is the fact that the difference in size between a passenger car and a large commercial truck can result in catastrophic damage and potentially fatal injuries for anyone not inside the confines of the better-protected tractor-trailer. Statistics show that the vast majority of motorists killed in truck driving accidents were the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles or pedestrians, whereas truck drivers and other occupants of large trucks are usually left relatively unharmed by comparison.
Common injuries seen in semi-truck accidents and other commercial vehicle accidents include the following:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Burns
- Crushing injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Facial disfigurement
- Hearing loss or vision loss
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Loss of limbs
- Nerve damage
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and other types of mental illness
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, which can result in complete or partial paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries and other forms of head trauma
- Whiplash
- Wrongful death
- And more
Our Hawaii personal injury law firm is not scared off by truck accident lawsuits involving catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. If we cannot recover adequate compensation with an insurance claim, we can assist you in filing a truck accident lawsuit and take your case to trial if necessary. Please contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation with our legal staff today.
What is the Importance of Proving Negligence in Personal Injury Suits?
In personal injury lawsuits and truck accident cases, it is often necessary to prove negligence on the part of others involved in the accident. Because state and federal regulations bind commercial truck drivers and companies, many applicable laws may pertain to your truck accident case. Additionally, truck accident cases are often more legally complicated than other motor vehicle accident cases because of the multiple parties that are frequently involved, sometimes including multiple insurance companies, all looking after their own interests and trying to limit liability.
Legal negligence generally involves four factors: the defendant owed you a certain duty of care, the defendant failed in that duty, the plaintiff suffered injuries as a result of that failure, and the plaintiff suffered some loss as a result of being injured.
Even in truck accident cases where fault seems clear-cut, things can get complicated quickly, especially as the attorneys representing the defense enter the scenario. You want an experienced truck accident attorney representing your legal rights in pursuit of favorable compensation throughout the legal process.
What Could Be Valuable Evidence in Truck Accident Cases?
The following elements may prove to be valuable pieces of evidence in your trucking accident claim:
- A police report or accident report made immediately after the truck crash
- Dashcam footage and surveillance camera footage
- Medical records from before and after the accident
- Photos from the accident scene
- Statements from witnesses to the collision
- Testimony from accident reconstruction specialists
- Truck driver logbooks
- Trucking company records
- Vehicle maintenance records
- And more
While many truck accident victims think they can represent their own claims, they often find that they cannot recover the fair settlements they deserve without professional legal counsel. Schedule your free initial consultation with our truck accident lawyer today.
Beyond Negligent Truck Drivers, Who Else May Be Held Responsible for Your Commercial Trucking Accident?
Trucking accident cases are often more complicated than other auto accident legal matters because of the multiple parties often involved in direct or indirect negligence. While this presents personal injury victims with potential additional avenues for recovering financial compensation, it also means that courtroom trials and insurance claims can get very complicated very quickly.
At-fault parties may include the following:
- A negligent truck driver
- Commercial trucking company
- Drivers of other vehicles involved in the crash
- Government agencies or public entities
- Maintenance and repair shops
- Manufacturers of defective truck parts
- Multiple insurance companies
- Parties responsible for loading the truck
- Shipping companies
- Truck manufacturers
- Truck owners
Can a Truck Accident Attorney Help You Recover Financial Compensation?
Personal injury cases have the potential to recover financial compensation for injured parties or the surviving family members of wrongful death victims. A truck accident lawyer can help you recover the maximum compensation for what your claim is worth.
Several factors may influence the value of your trucking accident claim, including the severity of your injuries, new disabilities, whether you can return to work, your level of fault in the accident, insurance policy coverage, and the number of responsible parties that could be held liable in a truck accident lawsuit.
If you obtain financial recovery, it will typically be provided in economic and non-economic damages.
Possible economic and non-economic damages for a truck accident lawsuit may include the following:
- Disability, disfigurement, or dismemberment compensation
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Past medical bills and future medical expenses
- Physical pain and suffering damages
- Property damage
- Wrongful death damages, which can include compensation for loss of companionship or consortium, emotional trauma, medical bills from before death, funeral expenses, memorial costs, and burial expenses, among damages
In cases of extreme misconduct or willful recklessness, the injured party may also be awarded punitive damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation to Discuss Your Truck Accident Case with Our Compassionate Legal Professionals Today
The Law Offices of Preston Easley have extensive experience representing injured clients throughout California and Hawaii. As your legal representation, we will do everything we can to hold multiple parties accountable for their actions or inactions so that you can recover the financial compensation you require to move on from the unfortunate incident.
To learn more about our legal services and how we may assist you during this difficult time, please contact our Honolulu law office to schedule your free initial consultation today.
You can get in touch with us by calling 310-773-5207.