If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a large truck, you should get help seeking compensation to cover your doctor bills and other expenses. Many tractor trailers, cargo tankers and other commercial trucks travel through Baton Rouge, Louisiana every day. When they cause serious accidents, the drivers and trucking companies should pay for the harm they cause. Let us answer your questions and review your legal options.

The experience and knowledge of the attorney who you select after a commercial truck accident can make a big difference in the outcome of your claim. Our compassionate truck accident attorneys at Dathan Hill Law have handled thousands of injury cases. Our law firm has an office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We have the resources to see truck crash cases through to their resolution. We are dedicated to helping families across in Baton Rouge, Louisiana recover from serious injuries caused by truckers’ negligence. Contact us to get help now!

DO I HAVE A TRUCKING OR SEMI-TRUCK ACCIDENT CASE?

You should contact a truck accident lawyer if you have been injured in a crash caused by a commercial truck in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A truck crash lawyer with Dathan Hill Law will review your accident at no charge and discuss whether you have a valid truck accident case. We will outline your legal options so that you have the information needed to decide how to proceed. If you are unable to visit our office, we can arrange to meet with you at a location convenient to you such as your hospital, rehabilitation center or home.

A collision involving a commercial truck requires a detailed investigation to identify all the potentially liable parties. If you call us from the scene of the tractor-trailer accident, Dathan Hill Law will dispatch its accident investigation team to start gathering evidence right away. Our team understands the importance of moving quickly to preserve evidence.

You should contact an attorney if an at-fault party’s insurance company is disputing your claim. The collision may involve many insurance companies representing the trucking company, the truck driver, the owner of the trailer and the freight shipper. It is difficult to negotiate on your own. If we represent you, our experienced attorneys will negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies and seek a settlement that reflects the full extent of your injuries.

SHOULD I SETTLE WITH THE TRUCKING COMPANY?

Some Baton Rouge, Louisiana trucking companies will contact you soon after an accident and offer a settlement. These quick settlement offers may sound impressive at first. But they typically represent a fraction of the actual value of the injury claim—essentially pennies on the dollar. The trucking company would like to limit its liability by settling the accident claim and getting it off the books before the full extent of the injury victim’s losses are even known.

In many cases, the accident victim is still receiving medical treatment and incurring medical expenses. If you accept a settlement from a trucking company while still undergoing treatment, you cannot ask the trucking company later for more money if your expenses exceed the amount of the settlement. You will be stuck picking up the tab for the balance of the medical care.

If you receive a call from a trucking company offering to settle your case, you should have a skilled attorney review the offer and provide guidance about whether it is a fair offer. Be careful. You should not sign a liability release or any other form presented by the trucking company or their insurance adjuster until you have talked with a personal injury lawyer.

WHAT DO I DO IF I WAS HIT BY A SEMI-TRUCK?

You may be shaken and confused in the hours after a collision with a semi-truck. If you do not require emergency medical attention, you should still seek a prompt medical evaluation.

Inform the doctor that you were involved in a truck accident. A doctor’s evaluation will provide an independent description of your injuries and will be relied upon by insurance adjusters if you eventually need to file a claim.

Report the accident to the police or ask someone else to summon the police if you are unable. Do not let the truck driver talk you out of reporting the accident. Without an official police report, you will have more difficulty proving that the truck driver caused your injuries. It will be your word against that of the truck driver.

While you are waiting for a law enforcement officer to arrive, you should exchange vehicle registration and insurance information with the truck driver. If the truck driver is uncooperative, wait for the police to arrive. The police will collect the information.

Provide the facts of the accident to police, but do not discuss the specifics of the accident with the other driver. Do not try to reassure the other driver that you are unharmed. Even if you feel uninjured immediately after a crash, you may wake up the next day very stiff and sore.

If you can do so safely, use your phone camera to take photos of the accident scene showing damage to the vehicles, skid marks and debris in the road, and your injuries. Accident photos can provide evidence to support your claim.

CAUSES OF TRUCKING ACCIDENTS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana highways are heavily travelled by trucks. Louisiana has a higher number of truck accidents. More than 640 people were killed and 1,500 people sustained serious injuries in crashes involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles.

The drivers and passengers in other vehicles involved in truck accidents often sustain the more severe injuries.

A number of factors involving the truck driver or the vehicle itself may contribute to a serious accident.

Among the regularly cited causes of truck crashes are:

• Speeding
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Driver inattention
• Driving on unfamiliar road
• Fatigue
• Following too closely or tailgating
• Improper lane change
• Aggressive driving
• Inadequate maintenance
• Brakes out of adjustment
• Unsecured cargo

An analysis of 2,800 commercial truck crashes found that driver fatigue is a top contributing factor in crashes in which the truck driver is at fault. Other commonly observed truck driver actions that contributed to many truck crashes were speeding, failing to yield the right-of-way and using the wrong lane. Crashes involving speeding had a 170 percent greater risk of injury or fatality, the researchers said.

One truck accident may have multiple contributing factors and several potentially responsible parties. It is important to work with a knowledgeable truck accident attorney if you or your loved one has been seriously injured.

DANGEROUS ROADS FOR TRUCKING ACCIDENTS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana had the highest number of crashes involving large trucks of any state, according to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. One of out of every 10 vehicles involved in a fatal accident in Louisiana was an 18-wheeler or other type of large truck.

Most of the people killed in large truck accidents are occupants of passenger vehicles. Nationwide, about 70 percent of people killed in large truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles and 10 percent were pedestrians or bicyclists.

Traffic safety involving large trucks is a serious problem in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.