Louisiana Injury Lawyers for Commercial Vehicle Accidents

For the drivers of passenger vehicles and motorbikes, a commercial vehicle accident involving large trucks such as 18-wheelers and dump trucks almost always result in serious injuries and extensive damage to the vehicle. Truck accident victims are often unsure of how to begin putting their lives back together after an accident of this magnitude, as recovering from major injuries can be a long and grueling process.

If you or a loved one received serious or fatal injuries from a large commercial truck accident, you may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. In the event that the truck driver or a separate third party is at fault, you may be able to recover a financial settlement that compensates for your losses and damages.

Joubert Law Firm’s Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys are ready and willing to take on your claim. Our personal injury attorneys will make sure you don’t receive the bare minimum in your truck accident claim. We will see to it that your settlement for your truck accident case addresses all of your financial requirements and that the responsible party is held legally liable. Call the experienced truck crash attorneys at Joubert Law Firm today at (225) 777-8853 to get straight to work on your case.

What is a Commercial Vehicle?

In the United States, any automobile registered to or owned by a business or company and utilized for business purposes is referred to as a commercial vehicle. Commercial motor vehicles may also include:

• A rented automobile with the banking company taking ownership of the registration.
• An automobile with an available capacity of 15 passengers or more.
• A vehicle that surpasses a specific weight or class, even if it is not possessed or utilized for business purposes.
• A vehicle that transports hazardous or dangerous materials.

In a nutshell, commercial vehicles might include everything from corporate automobiles to a touring bus, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, armored vehicles, FedEx trucks, fleet vehicles, box trucks, couriers, and more.

What Causes a Big Truck Accident?

In the United States, millions of commercial vehicles travel billions of miles every year, operating on highways and roads 24/7. This means, no matter how many preventative measures are put in place by a trucking company, truck accidents are inevitable. In fact, truck accidents and other commercial vehicle accidents are responsible for tens of thousands of fatal accidents and more than half a million nonfatal accidents each year. 

Accidents can occur for a number of reasons, including careless truck drivers, a truck company cutting corners on upkeep, employing inexperienced or unqualified drivers, or straining a truck driver past their natural limits. Below is a list of some of the more common reasons for truck accidents according to a Large Truck Crash Causation Study completed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:

• Driver fatigue
• Speeding
• Medication usage 
• Distracted driving 
• Unlawful maneuvering
• Road rage
• Brake failures

Numerous federal regulations and state safety guidelines for commercial vehicles must be adhered to in order to keep trucking companies, cargo loaders, truck manufacturers, and other related entities accountable for any damage they may inflict in truck accident cases. Here at Joubert Law Firm, we perform a comprehensive analysis to locate the exact reason for large truck crashes and subsequently work to ensure that the responsible party or parties are held liable.

What To Do After a Commercial Truck Accident

A commercial vehicle’s weight and size can produce an incredible amount of force on impact and overwhelm even some of the most “crashworthy” vehicle safety systems and features. That is why it is so important that you know what to do if you are involved in or witness one of these accidents. 

After a big rig accident, the first thing you should do is contact 911 and ask for assistance. Getting medical help as soon as possible after a vehicle collision is critical. Trucking accidents typically result in significant injuries due to the sheer size and weight difference between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle. You should go to the ER or your doctor’s office as quickly as possible following an accident.  

More than likely, drivers of commercial trucks do not receive near as many or as severe of injuries as those in passenger vehicles. When the driver informs their employer, the trucking company’s insurance company will likely dispatch investigators to the accident scene to begin developing a counter-narrative. A representative may call you and attempt to take a testimonial from you or ask that you sign a medical release. ALWAYS CONSULT AN ATTORNEY before agreeing to speak with or sign any paperwork from the transport company’s insurance provider. 

As soon as you are able, equip yourself with a Baton Rouge injury attorney experienced in truck accident law and allow them to guide you through the rest of the process. Your attorney will manage all correspondence on your behalf and protect you from making any detrimental mistakes in your personal injury case.

Who is At Fault in a Commercial Truck Accident?

In truck accident claims, even if it is evident that the commercial truck driver is responsible for the accident, establishing fault can be a complicated process. There are numerous parties who may have contributed to the accident, and more than likely, all of them will have their own skilled legal team who will do everything they can to deny fault. Some of the parties who may be liable for the trucking accident include the:

• Truck driver
• Truck driver’s employer
• Trucking company
• Truck manufacturer
• Part manufacturer
• Cargo loader
• Truck maintenance provider

When taking on truck accident lawsuits, the team at Joubert Law Firm will strive to identify those who played a role in the accident and hold them liable for their actions. Your knowledgeable semi-truck accident lawyers will examine the accident report and any related evidence as well as collaborate with specialists and other investigators to identify the fault. The transportation business’s liability insurance company will almost certainly use aggressive rebuttal techniques to try to pin you for the disaster rather than their truck driver, company, or manufacturer. In this case, we will work to establish proof that conclusively demonstrates the state of culpability of the truck driver, another third party in or outside of the trucking industry, and/or the actual trucking company in order to get reasonable compensation for your car accident damages and medical expenses.

What Can I Recover From a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Trucking and tractor-trailer accidents in Baton Rouge frequently lead to highly catastrophic injuries that can potentially lead to lifetime impairments, handicaps, and disabilities. Your personal injury claim will be based on the type and extent of your injuries, as the treatment you require and how your wounds will impair your standard of living will weigh heavily on the amount of compensation you are able to receive.

To accurately assess the impact of your injuries, you’ll need to work closely with both your physician(s) and an experienced Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer at Joubert Law Firm. There are multiple types of damages that we can help you recover in your commercial vehicle accident lawsuit. These include:

General Damages

General damages, also known as non-economic damages, include pain and suffering and/or mental distress caused by an auto accident. Physical pain, emotional trauma, loss of pleasure in life, deformity, mental problems, and other factors can contribute to this.

Medical Expenses

Large vehicles often cause life-altering, devastating injuries that result in long-term consequences. Medical expenses can range from consultations to medical treatment, specialized equipment, medications, and so much more. Medical bills, as well as other proof, should be kept on standby from the start and throughout the process to ensure that all expenditures are fully reimbursed.

Personal Property Damages

Personal property damages, which are second only to injury-related damages, are frequently a top worry following a vehicle or truck collision. Harm to a car and personal belongings are examples of personal property damages in car accidents. Losses of this nature range from minor repairs to complete replacement. On-scene photographs and videos, as well as invoices and records for repairs, estimates, and replacements, can be used as proof of such losses.

Lost Wages

When someone sustains serious injuries because of an accident, they may be unable to return to their job duties. Whether you’ve been out of work for a short time or have been out for a lengthy period of time due to a catastrophic injury, the law backs up your claim for compensation for lost wages. You can compute the loss of past earnings and future income with the aid of our Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys at Joubert Law Firm.

Wrongful Death

If someone else is to blame in the worst-case scenario of truck crashes, the family of the truck accident victim can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible individual(s) in an attempt to compensate the survivors for the devastating loss of their loved one.

Commercial Vehicle Accident? Call the Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyers at Joubert Law Firm ASAP

If you have any more truck accident questions or if you want to learn more about what our injury lawyers can do for you following an accident, contact an experienced Baton Rouge motor vehicle accident lawyer at Joubert Law Firm, APLC as soon as possible. Call (225) 777-8853 to book your case evaluation immediately. You may also contact us for a free consultation via our website.

As a thank you to all military members and veterans and to show our appreciation for your sacrifice and service, we would like to offer a discount for your legal cases.