Commercial trucks transport millions of tons of consumer goods over Mississippi highways each year. Most arrive at their destinations without incident, but sometimes devastating accidents occur. If your or a loved one were injured in a severe motor vehicle crash, a Greene County truck accident lawyer could help you seek compensation. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney could advocate on your behalf and help you hold the negligent party accountable.
Although a fatigued driver is responsible for more truck accidents than any other reason, other causes include:
Trucks are about ten times heavier than the average automobile, and because of their size and weight, they often cause more severe injuries and harm more victims than other vehicles. Determining the negligent party is not as easy as pointing at the truck driver. The vicarious liability doctrine allows a victim to hold a negligent truck driver’s employer responsible if the driver causes the accident while on the job.
If a mechanical malfunction or faulty maintenance causes a truck accident, the victim may be able to hold the manufacturer or the maintenance company liable. A knowledgeable truck crash attorney in Greene County could review evidence to determine the proper parties to hold accountable.
Trucking companies and their insurance carriers may try to blame the victim for causing at least part of the accident, hoping the courts will deny a victim’s claim or reduce it under the doctrine of contributory negligence. Mississippi is an at-fault state, which means a victim looks to the party that caused the accident for compensation. This differs from no-fault states, in which accident victims rely on their insurance coverage no matter who is at fault.
If the injured party is partially to blame for the crash, they could still seek compensation for damages. Mississippi law allows the injured claimant’s compensation award to be reduced by their percentage of fault. The injured victim may be eligible to recover compensation for damages even if they are 99 percent at fault under the pure contributory negligence laws. A diligent Greene County truck accident attorney could help prove the defendant’s negligent actions is the cause for the collision.
Holding the proper party liable in a truck accident requires the plaintiff to prove negligence. This means that the party or parties that caused the accident should have acted reasonably to ensure the safety of others on the road but did not. For example, if the truck driver is driving while on drugs or under the influence of alcohol, they could be held liable for damages.
If an accident occurs, the injured claimant’s attorney must prove that the driver’s negligence caused the accident and caused their injuries. Critical evidence, including the driver’s log, can be destroyed by law after a certain amount of time. A skilled truck accident lawyer could send a spoliation letter to the trucking company requiring the employer to preserve this vital evidence. Other critical evidence includes:
A truck accident victim should contact a Greene County personal injury attorney as soon as possible so that evidence can be collected promptly.
The damage inflicted in a truck crash far exceeds that in car crashes because of the size and weight of a commercial tractor-trailer. Those who have been involved in a tractor-trailer collision, are left with extensive medical expenses, pain, lost wages, and other severe damages.
If you are injured in a big rig crash, a Greene County truck accident lawyer could help your case. An experienced attorney could discuss your case and help you get the maximum compensation you need to get back to normal. Call today to get started on your claim.