Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorney

It’s no surprise that people use the phrase “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck” to describe a traumatic event in their lives. Truck accidents are often major incidents that cause catastrophic injuries with long-term, life-altering consequences. Victims of truck accidents are often left with mounting medical bills, debilitating injuries, lost wages or careers, and emotional trauma. When a truck accident is fatal, a family loses their loved one and support. 

In Pennsylvania, there are thousands of truck crashes, semi-truck accidents, and tractor-trailer accidents every year. When those accidents are caused by distracted driving, poorly maintained vehicles, or other negligence, the injured victims may be entitled to compensation from an at-fault party or insurer. If you have been involved in a truck accident in Pennsylvania, contact the truck accident team at Solnick Lawyers to find out more about your legal rights.

Parties Involved in Truck Accidents

The trucking industry involves many people in different roles, including truck maintenance workers, the loading of cargo, trucking company safety and management employees, and truck drivers themselves. Mistakes can happen at any of these stages, and sometimes accidents happen as a result. A commercial truck accident could involve:

Truck Driver

A truck driver can be at fault in a trucking accident if they are distracted, speeding, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or otherwise negligent. The driver and/or their employer may be legally and financially liable in these situations. Your attorney will investigate your case to determine who is at fault and who is liable in your truck accident case.

Trucking Company (Operator) or Parent Company

Trucking companies are typically legally responsible for injuries caused by their drivers due to negligent driving. Trucking companies are also responsible for ensuring that their drivers and vehicles are safe enough to be on the roads. If a truck driver has been involved in several accidents, but the trucking company continues to use the driver, the trucking company may be held responsible if that driver causes another accident. If a truck is not properly maintained and that leads to a truck accident, the trucking company may be liable for the crash.

Maintenance and Repair Companies

Commercial trucking companies often contract out the maintenance and repair of their trucks to third-party companies. If a truck is not properly maintained e.g. the tires or brake pads are not replaced when appropriate, and that lack of maintenance leads to an accident, the repair company may be liable. The legal relationships between the different parties involved in a trucking accident are very important to determine who should be included in an accident victim’s claim and will be carefully analyzed by your lawyer and any experts he or she works with.

Other Vehicle Operators

Other parties involved in loading and operating a truck can be responsible for a truck accident. If a third-party company improperly loads cargo onto a truck causing the truck to become unstable, the loading company may be liable for a resulting accident. Your attorneys will identify all possible defendants in a claim and ensure that they are held accountable for the damage that they have caused.

Top Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen for the same reasons as passenger vehicle accidents, but because truck drivers routinely drive hundreds and thousands of miles across the country with heavy cargo and on tight schedules, the risk of a trucking accident and the harm caused is often increased. Common causes of truck accidents include:

• Driver error: This is the most common factor in a truck accident according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Truck driver errors could include misjudging proximity to other cars, braking too late, speeding, and distracted driving.
• Driver impairment: A truck driver who is driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether legal or illegal), fatigued, or impaired in any significant way, could cause an accident. Driving while impaired is negligent and dangerous, and may result in liability for the truck driver and/or their employer.
• Weather conditions: Snow, rain, ice, and even wind can contribute to bad road conditions, increased stopping distances, and lead to truck accidents. 
• Compliance failures: State and federal laws regulate the trucking industry, requiring regular vehicle inspections, driver breaks, and limitations on driving hours. When trucking companies do not comply with these rules and regulations, accidents can happen.
• Improper training on safety matters and driving skills: Employers have a responsibility to properly train and oversee their employees, whether drivers, cargo loaders, mechanics, or others. 
• Negligent hiring or retention of truck drivers: If a truck driver has frequent accidents or a history of negligent driving, but their employer still allows them to drive a truck, the employer may be responsible if that driver causes an accident.
• Improperly loaded cargo: If cargo is not properly loaded, it can shift and make a truck unstable. An unstable truck is more difficult to maneuver and more likely to overturn or cause an accident.  

Your attorney will help to establish the cause of your accident and pursue legal action on your behalf.

Common Injuries Related to Truck Accidents

An accident with a truck, semi-truck, or tractor-trailer can cause devastating injuries for the drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles or pedestrians in an accident. Trucks are heavier, less maneuverable, and often travel at higher speeds with greater stopping distances. Common injuries in truck accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Head injuries and brain damage
• Internal organ injuries and bleeding
• Spinal cord damage and paralysis
• Nerve damage
• Back and neck injuries
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of limbs

If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses. If your loved one was killed in a truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you should talk to a truck accident attorney at Solnick Lawyers about your right to bring a wrongful death claim to obtain justice for your loved one and compensation for your family.

How to Proceed Following a Truck Accident

It is important that you know what to do if you are in an accident involving a truck. Your actions after an accident with a commercial truck can affect the amount that you recover from an insurance or legal claim following the accident.

• Get medical help. Your well-being is the first priority. Tend to your injuries and call 911 for an ambulance if needed. Even if your injuries seem minor, you should be evaluated at an emergency room, urgent care, or by your doctor. Even seemingly minor injuries or aggravations can turn into chronic, longstanding problems. 
• Take photos of the scene. Evidence of the road and weather conditions, the position of the vehicles, the state of repair of the truck, and your injuries may all be important to a truck accident claim. You can also use your phone to record insurance details, the driver’s license of the truck driver, the truck registration, company details on the truck, and witness information.
• Do not speak to other parties or insurers. Anything you say to the trucking company, the driver, their insurance company, or your own insurer may be used to weaken your claim and avoid liability. Get reliable legal advice before speaking to anyone else involved in the accident. 
• Talk to an attorney. A truck accident attorney will advise you before speaking to other parties and insurers, and will often deal with these parties on your behalf. They will investigate who may be liable in your accident, negotiate with insurers to ensure that you are fairly represented, provide advice on your legal rights and medical treatment, and help you get the maximum compensation for your truck accident injuries.

Compensation Available in Truck Accident Cases 

The medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, and lost wages caused by a truck accident can quickly create an overwhelming financial burden for victims of truck accidents. If you are a truck accident victim, you may be able to recover the following damages:

Pain and Suffering

“Pain and suffering” is a legal phrase used to describe all of your physical discomfort and emotional trauma caused by the accident. It is separate from your economic damages such as medical expenses and wage loss and is intended to compensate you for your suffering as a result of the truck accident. The amount of compensation that you receive for pain and suffering can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, including the ability of your attorney to understand your situation and communicate to an insurance company and a jury, so it is important to hire an attorney with experience handling truck accidents. 

Lost Wages

After a truck accident, you may miss work for your treatment or recovery. If you are severely injured, you may not be able to return to the job that you did before the truck accident. You are entitled to be compensated for all of the wages and benefits that you lose as a result of the truck accident, both past and future.

Medical Bills

Hospital bills, co-pays, physical therapy fees, pharmacy expenses, and other medical bills can be overwhelming after a truck accident. When you have been injured in a truck accident, the negligent driver, their employer, or their insurer may be liable for your otherwise unreimbursed past and future medical expenses. 

Why Work with Our Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer?

Truck accidents can cause severe injuries to accident victims and are a major liability for the companies involved. These companies and their insurers will work hard to protect their business and avoid any liability and legal responsibility to the injured victim. Unrepresented victims still recovering from their injuries often accept lowball settlement offers that will not cover their expenses and losses into the future. Solnick Lawyers knows the strategies that trucking companies and insurers use to minimize their liability, and we work hard to level the playing field and hold these companies accountable.

Contact Solnick Lawyers for Aid with Your Pennsylvania Truck Accident Case

Solnick Lawyers has been representing truck accident victims in the Greater Philadelphia area, and throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for more than 20 years. We are not intimidated by the tactics of aggressive corporations, insurance companies, or government agencies. We face them day after day in negotiations and courtrooms to secure justice for our clients, and we will do the same for you. We are on your side. Contact us today for your free consultation