Truck Accident Attorney

Collisions between large commercial trucks — tractor-trailers, semis, tanker trucks, and other “big rigs” — and passenger cars are typically much more serious than other types of crashes. The size and weight of a large truck makes a crash more destructive, and the commercial ownership of the truck makes it more complicated to obtain compensation for the injuries suffered.

Pursuing a personal injury claim or wrongful death case involving a commercial motor vehicle accident requires a serious investment of time and resources. You need attorneys with detailed knowledge of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. In fact, all aspects of handling a truck accident claim — including dealing with multiple liable parties and understanding related laws and technology — require skilled litigators with extensive experience. We have personal injury attorneys in Montgomery as well as Birmingham waiting to assist you.

About Our Truck Accident Attorneys

At the Serious Injury Law Group, our truck accident lawyers have the knowledge and experience needed to handle these complex claims. You can count on our talented legal team to thoroughly investigate your crash, identify all liable parties, and aggressively pursue the maximum compensation you deserve. Through the process, you can trust our team to look out for your best interests because:

• We fight to win, not to settle quickly and move on to the next case. Our attorneys are committed to preparing solid cases that allow us to negotiate from a position of strength. Our truck accident lawyer will not give in to insurance company pressure or delay tactics, and our team is always prepared to move forward with a truck accident lawsuit. Our experienced trial attorneys have a long track record of successful litigation. So the opposing parties in your case will know you are well-equipped to fight in court if necessary.
• Our law firm only handles personal injury cases. Truck and other motor vehicle accidents make up the bulk of our caseload, which we limit to personal injury and wrongful death claims. Our attorneys are thoroughly versed in Birmingham personal injury law and insurance company regulations, as well as federal and state trucking industry regulations. Our focus is on your needs and fighting for full and fair compensation after a commercial truck accident.
• Our attorneys know Alabama because we were born and raised here. We have family and roots in Alabama. When truck accidents cause injury and destruction in our cities, on interstate highways like I-65, I-20 or I-85, or elsewhere in Alabama, it matters to us. In addition to obtaining justice for victims of truck accidents, holding motor carriers and others in the trucking industry accountable sends a message to those who would act with carelessness and recklessness on our state’s highways.

Contact our Birmingham truck accident attorneys today to set up a free consultation. Call us today or fill out our online form to get started. We can meet with you at our law offices in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, or Lowndes County, or our attorneys can come to your home or anywhere else that’s convenient.

Our Lawyers Work Quickly to Preserve Evidence After a Truck Accident

To investigate a commercial truck accident and determine who is a fault and should be held accountable, we need to obtain evidence that is in the hands of the truck’s owner, usually a corporate trucking company. Before the evidence is destroyed or “lost,” we need to ask a court to order the motor carrier or whoever owns this material to preserve it for a legal claim.

Two important pieces of evidence in a truck accident investigation include:

• The truck’s event data recorder (EDR)

  In addition to examining the damaged vehicle itself, we want access to the “black box” device found in 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks. A truck’s EDR records a variety of data about operation of the vehicle just before a crash. Depending on the age and model of truck, this will include:

  • Date and time of the crash
  • Vehicle speed
  • Engine speed
  • Brake status
  • Clutch status
  • Throttle (gas pedal) position
  • Cruise-control status
  • Steering angle
  • Forward collision warnings
  • Lane-departure warnings
  • Last stop
  • Incident Event Report (e.g., sudden deceleration / acceleration, quick stop, hard brake event, etc.)
  • Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) snapshots of truck system sensors reporting data outside normal values
  • GPS-based positional data

• Driver logs

  Truckers’ time behind the wheel is strictly regulated, and drivers are required to log their activities while on duty. Hour of Service (HOS) rules regulate down to the hour how long commercial truck drivers may spend behind the wheel and how long they must rest and/or sleep before driving again. A driver’s HOS logs may provide evidence of such recklessness as fatigued driving or speeding (miles covered too quickly). Or the driver’s logs may prove to be inaccurate, which raises more questions to be investigated.

This just scratches the surface of the potential evidence to be collected and analyzed in a complicated truck accident case.

In many cases, our law firm works with accident reconstruction consultants, forensic specialists who use principles of engineering and physics to examine wreckage and other evidence. Their reports and, when needed, expert testimony accompanied by animation and graphics, can provide clear and convincing evidence in negotiations or before juries.

Investigating a serious truck accident is time-consuming and requires extensive resources. Our dedicated truck accident lawyers in Birmingham will act quickly to get started on your claim. We will use our vast knowledge of the trucking industry and the law to build a strong case for maximum compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

In most cases, a truck accident is caused by a truck driver’s error, if not outright negligence or recklessness. In such a case, the trucker as well and his or her employer may be held accountable in a legal claim. Additionally, there are multiple “third parties” involved in the operations of commercial trucks. Any one or more of them may share responsibility for the accident and owe you compensation.

Your accident could have been caused by one or more of the following:

• Truck Driver

  Most commercial truck accidents are caused by something a truck driver did wrong or failed to do. Sometimes it is simple negligence, such as improper lane changes or running stop signs. Other times, a trucker’s error is more correctly considered recklessness, such as:

  • Speeding
  • Tailgating (following too closely)
  • Fatigued / drowsy driving
  • Distracted driving
  • Drugged driving (particularly the use of stimulants)

• Trucking Company

  A motor carrier is responsible for its employees, including truck drivers, and its equipment, including the commercial trucks it owns. The carrier may be liable for discrepancies in a driver’s licensing, training, or instructions, such as pressure to drive too long and/or too fast to make a deadline. The motor carrier may also be held liable if its actions make a truck unsafe and lead to an accident, such as by cutting corners on maintenance or inspections to save money.

• The Truck

  Some truck accidents are caused by vehicle failure. Commercial trucks fail because of ignored maintenance needs or faulty manufacturing of parts and systems, such as brakes, tires, power trains, wheels, coupling systems, and/or lighting. Taking a commercial vehicle off the road cuts into revenue, and many owners send trucks out when they are not safe. A negligent truck owner may be liable, but in cases of truck parts and systems that were faulty from the start, a manufacturer may be held accountable.

• Cargo

  A cargo shift can cause a truck to crash, and even to roll over or jackknife in some cases. A cargo spill can also wreck a truck, as well as other vehicles, and may cause environmental damage if hazardous material is spilled. Many companies haul cargo for outside parties, or hire outside vendors to pack and load their goods to be shipped. Some carriers load and pack their own cargo. Regardless, when cargo has not been properly loaded and secured, and a cargo shift has caused an accident, cargo handlers or their employers may be held accountable.

• Road Conditions 

  The roadway can contribute to a truck accident, such as if there are pot holes, a weakened and crumbling roadbed caused by erosion or faulty design, or neglected maintenance. Development or overgrown flora at an intersection may be allowed to obscure the view. In such cases, we may seek compensation from the local government responsible for the roadway and/or contractors whose negligence allowed the hazardous conditions.

• Work Zones 

  Areas set up to allow highway construction or maintenance need to provide adequate warning and time for vehicles to slow down, as well as barriers and space to keep traffic away from workers. When a truck accident is caused by a faulty work zone, negligent contractors and the local government that hired them may be liable.

It’s typical for the trucking company, or “motor carrier,” that owns a large truck involved in an accident to move quickly to protect themselves from legal claims. In catastrophic crashes, trucking company lawyers can be “on the ground” in hours, contacting accident victims and offering settlements that will ultimately prove to be for far too little.

You should never accept an insurance company’s settlement offer after a serious truck accident unless an experienced truck accident attorney has reviewed it. Our skilled Birmingham trucking accident attorneys can investigate the circumstances of your crash and go over any insurance settlement offer you have received. An initial consultation with us is free, and we only charge legal fees if and when we recover compensation for you.

Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

If you have been injured in a commercial trucking accident in Birmingham, you need a lawyer who understands the complexity of such a claim and has a track record of success in these types of cases. Contact us online or call us today for a free legal consultation.

Our law firm has offices in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, and Lowndes County. Our truck accident lawyer can meet with you anywhere in Alabama that is convenient for you, including at your home or in the hospital.