Semi-trailer trucks are an important part of our economy as they transport goods and products across the state and country. Unfortunately, truck drivers are sometimes negligent behind the wheel, and a severe accident might happen.
A few significant concerns within the trucking industry that are known to cause accidents include huge blind spots, driver fatigue, and equipment failures or malfunctions. If you were hit by a truck, the driver and their employer might be held liable in a lawsuit. Important evidence we can help you collect might include photos and videos from the scene, witness testimony, and information about the truck and trucker driver, like driving logs or the truck’s black box device. This evidence will be crucial when we argue for damages, including compensation for your economic and non-economic losses.
Trucks serve an important function, but that does not make them any less dangerous on the road. If you were hit by a truck, our Syracuse truck accident attorneys can help you sue the people responsible. For a free case assessment, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.
How Truck Accidents Can Occur in Syracuse
Truck accidents are often large events with catastrophic consequences that affect multiple drivers. If an accident does occur, our Syracuse truck accident lawyers can help you take legal action. How your accident occurred can help us determine who should be held liable and what evidence we need.
One of the most dangerous aspects of truck driving is blind spots. All vehicles have blind spots, but the blind spots on trucks can be very large. Entire vehicles might be invisible to truckers from blind spots. If a truck driver negligently fails to check their blind spots when changing lanes or turning, another driver might be seriously hurt.
Truck drivers are often on the road for very long periods. Although there are regulations that require truckers to take breaks and rest, many of them do not abide by these regulations. Often, truckers have busy schedules and tight deadlines, and they might be under pressure from their employers to skip rest periods to make deliveries on time. A tired truck driver might doze off behind the wheel and crash into other vehicles.
Trucks are often rigged with numerous pieces of equipment that help the truck driver maintain safety. If any of this equipment malfunctions, an accident might occur. For example, if the trailer couplings come unhitched, the trailer on the truck might detach and strike other vehicles. It is important to have trucks inspected after an accident to determine if equipment failures played a role.
How to Hold Someone Responsible for a Syracuse Truck Accident
Often, more than one party shares responsibility for an accident, and our Syracuse truck accident lawyers can help you sue as many people as necessary to get compensation, justice, and closure.
The truck drivers are often the first people we turn to when figuring out liability. The trucker’s actions or inactions are often the direct and proximate cause of truck accidents. We can help you investigate the truck driver and gather evidence to prove their negligence caused the accident.
Under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior, employers can be held vicariously liable for their employee’s negligence. Under this legal theory, the employee’s negligence must have occurred within the scope of their job duties. Intentional acts of harm or negligence that occur outside of work are not normally grounds for vicarious liability.
If the truck driver was incompetent and too risky to be behind the wheel, and the trucking company knew this when they hired them, the trucking company might be held liable for negligent hiring. For example, suppose the trucker was drunk at the time of the accident, and the trucking company knew that the truck driver had a history of DWIs when they hired them. In that case, the trucking company could be held liable even if the accident was not within the scope of the trucker’s employment.
Collecting Important Evidence for a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Syracuse
Evidence is the very foundation of a lawsuit. Finding the right evidence is tricky and varies from situation to situation. Our Syracuse truck accident attorneys can help you determine what evidence you need, where to find it, and how to use it.
If you can, take as many photos of the accident as possible immediately after it happens. Truck accidents are dangerous scenes, and law enforcement tends to clear them away as soon as possible. In the process, important evidence might be lost. Your photos might help preserve important details we can use to your advantage later.
Since truck accidents are often on very busy highways, numerous witnesses might have seen the accident happen. We can work to track down witnesses so they can testify in court about what they know. Although witness testimony is sometimes regarded as less reliable than physical evidence, it can be very powerful and persuasive to a jury.
Many trucks are equipped with a black box device that records details about the trip. For example, details about speed, when the trucker used the brakes, and how long the truck was on the road might all be recorded. We can use this information to determine important details, like how fast the truck was going when it hit you or whether the driver had taken any rests before the crash.
Recovering Compensation for Damages in a Syracuse Truck Accident Case
In your lawsuit, you can claim damages for both economic losses and non-economic injuries related to your accident. Economic damages are focused on the money you lost because of the crash. Your medical bills, lost income, damaged property, and reasonably anticipated future expenses should all be accounted for. Our Syracuse truck accident lawyers can help you calculate the value of these damages, so no compensation is overlooked.
Non-economic damages usually do not have anything to do with money lost by the plaintiff but instead, encompass subjective experiences. For example, the plaintiff can claim non-economic damages for pain and suffering related to their physical injuries and emotional trauma. Humiliation and damage to your reputation might also be considered when calculating non-economic damages.
Contact Our Syracuse Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Case Evaluation
A truck accident might leave you with traumatic injuries and long-lasting physical and emotional pain. Our Syracuse truck accident lawyers can help you sue the people responsible for the accident. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.