Who Can Be Held Liable in a Semi Wreck Case?

Most motor vehicle accident cases involve only the motorists involved in the crash. However, in a semi wreck case where the 18-wheeler was at fault, many more parties may share some or all of the liability. Parties that may be liable for semi wreck injuries and damages include:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The owner of the tractor and trailer
• The shipping company

• The broker
• The truck’s mechanics
• The truck’s manufacturer as well as truck part manufacturers

Evidence We May Use in a Semi Wreck Claim

Given the scope of state and federal regulatory requirements as well as the complexity of these types of claims, the semi wreck attorney must be familiar with trucking regulations, applicable state laws, and the fundamentals of accident investigation to be able to determine and collect important evidence. That evidence helps us determine how the accident happened, why it happened, and who may be held at fault for the crash.

Examples of evidence we use in pursuing semi wreck claims include:

• The police accident report
• Accident scene photos
• Eyewitness statements
• Surveillance camera or dashcam footage
• The truck driver’s employment records, including his or her driving experience, driving history, training history and accident history
• The trucking company’s records, including dispatch and investigation records
• The truck driver’s toxicology report (if the driver takes an alcohol/drug test)
• The truck driver’s hours-of-service logs
• The truck’s electronic data recorder information
• The freight or load manifest
• The truck’s maintenance logs
• Accident reconstruction simulations and reports
• Vehicle damage and repair reports
• Your medical records from the treatment of your injuries from the accident

Damages in a Semi Wreck Claim

If you or a loved one have been injured in a semi wreck in Houston, the past and future damages that may be entitled to recover include the following:

• Medical expenses, including hospital bills, physical/occupational rehab, and pain medication
• Personal care, including home health care, housekeeping, and home maintenance services
• Lost income for time missed from work
• Lost earning potential, if injuries disable you from returning to full-time work or returning to work altogether
• Lost quality of life due to physical disabilities or disfigurement, or due to the inability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of consortium, which can be claimed by your spouse for the loss of your companionship and society due to your injuries

You can also seek compensation for damage to your personal property, such as vehicle repair costs or the cash value of your vehicle if it was destroyed in the accident.

Common Causes of Semi Wrecks

Semi wrecks arise due to numerous factors. Common causes of semi wrecks include:

• Over-aggressive driving, including speeding and unsafe lane changes
• Driver fatigue
• Driver inattention and distracted driving
• Following too closely, also known as tailgating
• Improper space management by the truck driver
• Unsafe turns
• Inadequate truck driver training
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Unsafe backing
• Improper maintenance of the tractor or trailer
• Overloading the truck or improperly balancing or securing the load or cargo
• Defective truck parts

Types of Semi Wrecks

Any crash involving a large commercial truck can be devastating for the occupants of other vehicles involved in the collision. However, the type of semi wreck can affect the severity of injuries. The accident type can also indicate who may have been at fault for the crash. Examples of different types of semi wrecks include:

• Rear-end accidents
• Lost load accidents (when a truck’s cargo is not loaded or secured properly)
• Head-on collisions
• Side-swipe collisions
• Wide turn crashes, where the truck driver steers left before making a right turn
• Underride accidents, in which devastating injuries are caused when a passenger vehicle crashes into the back or side of a truck’s trailer
• Jackknife accidents, when the cab of a truck folds back towards the trailer like a pocketknife
• T-bone accidents, where the front of a truck crashes into the side of another vehicle

How Our Oklahoma Semi Wreck Attorneys Can Help

If you or a loved one have been injured in a semi wreck, the Aldridge Teasdale semi wreck attorneys of The Law Firm of Aldridge Teasdale are here to help. Our mission is to help you get the financial compensation you need and are entitled to under the law. Compensation can help you get through the difficult process of healing from your injuries and getting back as close as possible to the life you had before.

Our knowledgeable attorneys can help you win your case by:

• Conducting our own investigation of the accident, including recovering and reviewing key pieces of evidence such as driver logs, truck data recorder information, freight manifests, and truck maintenance records.
• Working with accident reconstruction experts when appropriate to help us build a persuasive argument showing how your accident occurred and how the truck driver and/or trucking companies or other parties were responsible for causing your crash.
• Collaborating with medical and financial experts to help us explain the impact of your injuries and damages.
• Filing claims with the trucking companies and their insurers, and aggressively negotiating for a settlement that provides you and your family with fair compensation.
• Preparing your case for trial, if necessary, and utilizing our experience and skill as trial lawyers to present your case to a jury and win.

When you choose The Aldridge Teasdale Law Firm to help you with your Oklahoma semi wreck case, you will get the assistance of a law firm that understands how traumatic your accident has been for you and your family. We will take on the hard work of pursuing your legal claim. That will allow you to focus your time and energy on your recovery.

We know that big corporations and insurance companies will do whatever it takes to avoid paying you the compensation you are entitled to. Members of our legal team have worked for insurers in the past, and as a result, they know the tactics and tricks insurance companies and their adjuster use to avoid liability to injured victims. That is why our attorneys will not rest until we get you the results you deserve. We go the extra mile to ensure our clients and their families can move forward with their lives as best possible after a catastrophic semi wreck.

Our firm brings more than 25 years of experience to injured accident victims and their families. We focus our efforts on personal injury matters. As a boutique personal injury law firm, we can provide you and your family with the focused attention and effort that your case deserves. We make ourselves available to you at any time to speak in person, over the phone, or via video call, email, or text. We are always ready to discuss the progress of your case or to answer any questions you may have.

Schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation with The Law Firm of Aldridge Teasdale to talk with an experienced semi wreck lawyer. You will learn about your legal rights and options for pursuing financial recovery. You will also learn how our firm can give you and your family the best chance at securing maximum compensation for your injuries and damages. There’s no fee owed by you unless we recover money on your behalf.