Truck Accident Lawyer in Montgomery, Alabama

What Makes Alabama Truck Accidents Different?

The sheer size and weight of a tractor-trailer can make a significant difference when a car and a truck collide. These factors make truck accidents more factually and legally complex than simple car accidents.

The reasons that truck accidents are different from other motor vehicle accidents include the following:

• More severe injuries, especially for the occupants of smaller vehicles involved in the accident
• More complicated accident investigation
• Complex trucking industry laws and regulations
• Commercial insurance policies with higher limits than personal auto policies
• Multiple insurance policies, where the “stacking” of coverage may come into play.
• Multiple entities are involved in the trucking industry, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the freight company, the truck maintenance company, and the truck manufacturer. These are potentially liable for the injuries you received in a semi-truck collision.

We Demand Full Compensation for Your Truck Accident Injuries

When you are involved in a truck accident in Montgomery, AL, or elsewhere in Alabama, you may be entitled to monetary recovery for the harm you’ve suffered.

The types of damages for which you might be compensated in a truck accident include:

• Medical expenses, including hospital bills, surgery, doctor’s office visits, physical or occupational therapy, prescription medication, prosthetics, mobility equipment, and home alterations to accommodate injuries or disabilities caused by a truck accident
• Lost wages or income if you miss work while recovering from your injuries.
• Lost earning potential, if your injuries prevent you from returning to your old job and your earnings go down as a result
• Pain and suffering are the physical and mental anguish caused by your injuries.
• Lost quality of life, including disabilities or disfigurement caused by your injuries, the inability to perform tasks of daily living, or the inability to participate in activities you enjoyed before your injuries
• Loss of consortium, which compensates a spouse for the loss of intimate companionship and society

In addition, you may also be entitled to compensation for your property damage. That can cover the cost of repairing your vehicle or the cash value of a totaled car.

What is the Time Limit for Filing a Semi-Truck Accident Claim in Alabama?

If you have been harmed in a truck accident in Alabama, you have a limited time to file a lawsuit to pursue a compensation claim. This period is known as the statute of limitations.

Under Alabama law, the statute of limitations for a truck accident claim is two years from the date of the accident. If you do not file a lawsuit within that period, the court can permanently dismiss your case without a ruling. Therefore, any right you may have to money damages will be gone forever.

Of course, certain exceptions exist to the statute of limitations. For example, minors get extra time to file a claim for personal injuries. A court may also pause or “toll” the statute of limitations if the claimant is under a legal or physical infirmity that prevents a lawsuit from being filed.

Waiting until the last minute to seek legal representation is a bad idea. But unfortunately, there is no guarantee that any time extension will apply to your case. That is why it’s essential to talk with a semi-truck accident lawyer today.

8 Things You Need to Do After a Semi-Truck Accident in Alabama

Semi-trailer truck traffic collisions differ substantially from your average car accident. The force of an impact with a semi-truck means that the occupants of smaller vehicles often suffer far more severe injuries. Also, multiple parties in the trucking industry may bear some liability for the truck accident.

You should take these steps to protect your legal rights and options after a truck accident.

1. Ensure everyone is okay. The most important thing after an accident is checking on all the parties involved. If someone is hurt, call 911 immediately.
2. Call the police. Even if no one has been injured, have the police come to the scene to investigate the accident and generate an accident report. The accident report can be crucial evidence in a truck accident claim.
3. Gather information. Collect details from all parties involved; be sure to get their names, contact information, insurance information, the truck driver’s employer, and vehicle information.
4. Take pictures. If you can do so, use your cell phone to take photos or videos; the images should include the positions of vehicles involved in the accident, any damage the cars suffered as well as skid marks, road and traffic conditions, and the lighting and weather conditions.
5. Avoid making admissions or accusations of fault. Don’t admit fault, apologize for an accident, or create an assertion about who you believe is responsible for the accident. Any statement you make can be interpreted against you.
6. Identify eyewitnesses. If there were any eyewitnesses to the accident, collect their names and contact information.
7. Seek medical treatment. Even if you don’t think you were injured in the accident, get a quick checkup from a doctor.
8. Contact a Montgomery truck accident attorney. The Stokes Stemle, LLC truck wreck lawyers can protect your rights and interests. Call them today.

What Kind of Injuries Occur in Alabama Truck Accidents?

Due to the massive size and weight of trucks, occupants of smaller vehicles can suffer serious injuries when hit by a larger, heavier car. Victims of truck accidents in the Montgomery area frequently suffer severe injuries.

The most common injuries we see in trucking accidents may include:

What are the Top Causes of Truck Accidents in Alabama?

A truck accident can occur due to any sort of negligence or recklessness by the truck’s driver.

The Stokes Stemle Montgomery, AL trucking accident attorneys see these common causes of truck accidents:

• Fatigue– Truck drivers are limited to driving no more than 11 hours per day, in addition to limits for 10-day periods. Truck drivers must also take certain rest breaks before they may resume driving. The need to meet shipping schedules often forces trucking companies and truck drivers to ignore these time limits. As a result, drivers stay behind the wheel longer than they should. That can lead to driver fatigue and pave the way to deadly mistakes.
• Driver error – Truck drivers can easily violate traffic laws behind the wheel. Traffic violations may include speeding, failure to ensure sufficient braking distance, failure to signal lane changes or turns, and failure to observe other vehicles, persons, or objects on the road.
• Driving under the influence – Due to the long hours and stress of truck driving, some drivers turn to drugs and alcohol to cope, leading them to operate their vehicles while under the influence.
• Improperly loaded truck – A truck that is loaded beyond its capacity or has a wrongly balanced load is at greater risk for a tip-over, jackknife, or rear-end collision.
• Poor maintenance – Semi-trucks are complicated machines, and when those trucks are improperly maintained, they can be more challenging to operate correctly. That increases the risk of a serious, even fatal, accident.
• Truck defects – Design or manufacturing defects can make those large vehicles inherently dangerous on Alabama roads and highways.

Truck Accident Statistics in Alabama

The Alabama Department of Transportation regularly publishes truck accident statistics for the state.

Recent truck accident statistics show:

• In one year, 9,351 accidents in Alabama involved a truck (including delivery trucks, 18-wheelers, tow trucks, and work trucks).
• These Alabama semi-truck accidents resulted in 2,563 injuries and 101 fatalities.
• The five most common primary causes of truck accidents in Alabama were: (1) improper lane change; (2) failure to yield right of way; (3) failure to observe another vehicle, person, or object; (4) tailgating; and (5) misjudging the stopping distance.
• 2% of semi-truck accidents in Alabama occurred on the interstate. Another 24.6% of trucking accidents occurred in cities, 18.1% on state routes, 15.7% on U.S. routes, 9.1% on county roads, and 3.3% on other surface roads.

Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in Montgomery, AL Now

If you have been the victim of a truck wreck, including a semi-truck accident, in Montgomery or elsewhere in Alabama, contact the experienced Montgomery truck accident lawyers at Stokes Stemle, LLC today.

Call us, reach out to us via live chat, or contact us by e-mail to schedule a free, confidential consultation. We will discuss your legal rights and options and show how our legal team can help you obtain the compensation and justice you deserve.