Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers in Fairhope

If you’ve ever felt your pulse go up when you’re stuck next to a tractor-trailer on the highway, you likely already know how dangerous truck accidents can be. Not only is it harder to get away from a tractor-trailer that is moving erratically or swerving, but the damage you’ll suffer if you crash is likely to be devastating. Depending on the details of your crash, you may find it difficult to uncover the liable party and get the compensation you’re owed.

What’s your next step after a truck accident in Fairhope, AL? It’s time to contact the team at Hedge Copeland. Our extensive experience in personal injury law allows us to fight aggressively on your behalf and push for the compensation you deserve. Learn more about your options now and give us a call at 251-432-8844.

Truck Accidents Are a Serious Problem in Alabama

No matter where you get your statistics, it’s obvious that truck accidents pose a major risk to Alabama drivers and passengers. According to Drive Safe Alabama, truck accidents made up 3.8% of all accidents in 2019, involving over 11,000 vehicles. In recent years, truck crash fatalities have steadily increased. They reached a 10-year low in 2014, when only 89 people died in truck collisions. There were 137 fatalities in 2019.

The most common locations for truck accidents in Alabama are interstate routes, city roads, and state routes. Understanding the causes of truck accidents makes it easier to prevent them. Commonly reported causes include improper lane changes, a failure to yield right of way, unseen obstacles or vehicles, tailgating, and misjudged stopping distance.

The economy relies heavily on truck drivers. Knowing that, the amount of trucks on the road is unlikely to decrease any time soon. It is crucial to take steps to make the roads safer for all drivers and passengers.

Types of Truck Accidents

The type of truck accident you’re involved in plays a big role in the severity of your injuries. The unique size and shape of trucks make them prone to several different types of crashes. Some of the most commonly reported include:

• When a truck driver loses control of the truck and brakes suddenly, the trailer swings out away from the tractor. This causes the heavy back end to pull the entire vehicle with it. The truck often slides sideways, blocking entire highways and causing accidents as traffic backs up. Jackknife accidents may lead to a vehicle turnover or rollover.
• Blind spot. Blind spot accidents are very common for trucks, since tractor-trailers have such large blind spots compared to passenger vehicles. When a truck merges while a vehicle is in their blind spot, the other vehicle is at risk of being pushed into the median or ditch. In some cases, the other vehicle is completely crushed.
• Underride accidents are a serious risk with the rise of distracted driving on American roads. When a driver behind a truck isn’t paying attention, they may drive under the back of a tractor-trailer. The vehicle gets pulled along and may get crushed.
• Head-on and rear-end. While these types of accidents have vastly different outcomes when there are two passenger vehicles involved, both are often fatal when a commercial truck is involved. The people in the other vehicle are likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries.
• Tire blowout. A tire blowout is incredibly dangerous in tractor-trailer crashes, as they cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Who’s Liable for Your Injuries?

Determining liability is a crucial step in your personal injury claim. The process is much more complicated for truck accidents than it is for other types of crashes. In most passenger vehicle collisions, one driver or the other is liable. In truck crashes, there are multiple parties that may have some or full liability. Possible liable parties include:

• Either driver if they make a judgment error that causes the crash
• The owner of the trucking company if they were negligent in hiring the driver
• The owner of the cargo if it was loaded improperly or unsafely
• The company responsible for loading the cargo if they are separate from the company that owns the cargo
• The truck manufacturer if the truck had serious design flaws
• The repair shop if they used unsafe parts or improperly repaired the vehicle

As you may guess, none of these parties want to be liable for the crash and the thousands of dollars of damage it leaves behind. They aren’t interested in helping you get justice for your losses. They simply want to shift the blame to another possible liable party. Rather than trying to work with one insurance company to get the compensation you deserve, you may have to chase multiple companies to plead your case.

How Hedge Copeland Will Fight for You

The victim of a serious truck accident in Fairhope, AL doesn’t need the stress that comes with dealing with insurance adjusters. Chances are good that your accident will cost you tens of thousands of dollars between medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Without a strong personal injury attorney, Fairhope, AL on your side, you’ll have a hard time convincing the insurance company that you deserve a full and fair settlement.

At Hedge Copeland, we understand the complexities of truck accidents and we know what it takes to get our clients the compensation they deserve. Truck accidents produce several types of evidence that help us build our case. With a trucking log, we can track a driver’s breaks and fuel stops to ensure they are compliant with federal regulations. The truck’s black box will let us know if the driver was driving erratically or unsafely, which may indicate fatigue or substance abuse.

Once we’ve investigated your accident, we’ll go into negotiations with the facts on our side. Whether we fight for a settlement in negotiations or take your case to court, we believe you deserve to be made whole after a crash.

Take the First Step in Your Claim Now

Ready to start your truck accident claim and pursue the compensation you deserve? Choose the team at Hedge Copeland. You can schedule a consultation with us online or call us at 251-432-8844 to get started.