Rhode Island Truck Accident Lawyer: Top Providence Attorneys for Injured Truck Accident Victims

If you have been injured in an accident with a truck or commercial vehicle, you are likely worried about receiving the necessary medical care to fully heal your physical injuries and worried about being able to pay your medical bills and cover your other financial costs. Our team of experienced Rhode Island truck accident lawyers at Marin and Barrett, Inc. are ready to advocate for you and help you recover the compensation you deserve from the individual or organizations responsible.

Accidents that involve tractor trailers and other trucks are more serious than typical car accidents and can cause devastating and permanent injuries or death. If you suffered severe injuries in an accident with tractor trailer or other commercial vehicle in Rhode Island, it is very important to contact a skilled local RI personal injury lawyer to help you recover full and fair compensation for your injuries. If you have questions or are worried about getting the care and maximum compensation you deserve, case call us at 401-298-9116 for a free, no obligation case evaluation. Call for a completely free consultation with a top rated RI trucking accident lawyer to discuss the specifics of your injuries and personal injury claim.

DO I NEED TO HIRE A LAWYER WHO WORKS ON TRUCK ACCIDENT CASES TO REPRESENT ME?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, you are likely dealing with a variety of issues that make life more difficult. In addition to the physical injuries, you may be dealing with a loss of income, mounting bills and medical expenses, and insurance companies. Factor in having to deal with recovering damages, dealing with an insurance company, or filing a lawsuit and it can simply become too much.

Personal injury cases, especially commercial accident cases, can be complicated and should be handled by an experienced and skilled team of attorneys. Obtaining legal representation can give you the time you need to heal physically and emotionally while still ensuring that you will be able to receive just legal compensation for your losses.  Additionally, there are detailed federal regulations as well as Rhode Island’s local trucking regulations that your attorney will need to be able to analyze to effectively pursue your personal injury lawsuit.  These trucking regulations make truck crash claims more complicated than a typical car accident or motorcycle accident case.

What to Expect from Your RI Trucking Accident Attorney

Being involved in a truck or tractor trailer accident is a terrifying experience, but the crash itself may be just the beginning. Those involved may suffering catastrophic injuries requiring years of medical treatment and mounting medical costs. Trucking accident injury cases can be complex, involve accident reconstruction and multiple corporate defendants. It is extremely important to hire a skilled and aggressive Rhode Island trucking accident lawyer right away. In many cases, time is of the essence and your lawyer should immediately begin working on your case by:

• Your lawyer should see you in person, whether at the office, your home, or the hospital;
• Gather evidence about the truck accident, the accident scene, how it happened, and who are the liable parties;
• Determine the party or parties who may be liable;
• Figure out what your case is worth by assessing your injuries and gathering your medical records;
• Negotiate with the other parties, the insurance company, or their attorneys;
• File a lawsuit if required;
• Build a case for settlement or trial, depending on the case.

WHAT MAKES TRUCK ACCIDENTS DIFFERENT THAN AUTO ACCIDENTS?

Some differences between traditional motor vehicle accidents and accidents involving trucks can be obvious. For one thing, passenger vehicles weigh approximately 4,000 pounds, while many semi-trucks can weigh as much as 40 tons. This means that the property damage and personal injury in a trucking collision can be much more severe, resulting in catastrophic injury more often than not for the driver of the car. But there are also key legal differences that may not be as obvious. Unlike most car accidents, commercial vehicle accidents can also have extensive liability far beyond the driver or drivers involved in the crash, all the way from the company that employs the driver to the mechanics who service the rig.

With the potential for such catastrophic physical and financial consequences, it is essential to have a team of skilled truck accident attorneys to make sure your case is handled correctly and you recover every dollar to which you are entitled.

WHO IS LIABLE FOR DAMAGES AFTER A TRUCKING ACCIDENT?

While car accident cases are relatively straightforward, determining liability in a commercial vehicle accident can be a bit more complex and there are numerous potential parties and trucking companies who may be responsible to pay damages. In addition to the driver, it may be the trucking company, the manufacturer, the maintenance company, and even the cargo shipper. National and international shipping and logistics is huge business, so you can expect that each and every party will have a team of attorneys at their disposal. Make sure you have the right legal team fighting for you.

WHAT ARE COMMON CAUSES OF TRUCK COLLISIONS?

Global shipping and transportation are essential to our economy and way of life. But with so many trucks sharing the road unfortunate truck accidents are all too common. Accidents happen all of the time; many are avoidable and most of the time the cause falls into one of several common categories.

• DRIVER FATIGUE: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act regulates and sets strict limits on the hours that commercial drivers may drive, how frequently they must break, and for how long. But with so much at stake and the trucking industry being on tight deadlines, oftentimes drivers spend more time on the road than is allowed by law. This can lead to sleep deprivation which can slow reflexes, motor function, reaction time, and may even lead to falling asleep at the wheel or other distracted driving crashes.
• DRUG OR ALCOHOL USE: With so many hours on the road, commercial truck drivers may use drugs to offset the fatigue. Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication is always a bad idea, but when the intoxicated driver is behind the wheel of a semi truck the consequences can be catastrophic.
• SPEEDING OR ROADWAY VIOLATIONS: Whether trying to make a deadline, hitting a daily quota, or simply racing to get home faster, drivers speed for any number of reasons. Regardless of why a driver is speeding or otherwise not driving cautiously, it is a danger to everyone else on the road and increases the likelihood of an accident. Evidence of these violations can typically be identified by evidence left at the accident scene.
• MECHANICAL OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION: Sometimes accidents are not the fault of the driver, but rather a failure or a fault somewhere on the rig. This can cause brake failures, tire blow outs, trucks swerving off the road, or any number of other crashes.
• LOAD ISSUES: Sometimes the cargo being transferred was either loaded incorrectly, at an imbalance, or comes loose during transit. That much weight moving that fast or abruptly can often lead to accidents.
• UNSKILLED OR UNQUALIFIED DRIVERS: Drivers go through rigorous training to obtain their CDL licenses, and oftentimes companies simply cannot find the manpower and are forced to hire inexperienced or unlicensed drivers. In some instances companies can even save money by intentionally hiring drivers with minimum or substandard qualifications. Driving a truck is not as simple as driving a regular car and a driver with a lack of experience can be a real hazard on the road and result in driver error.
• WEATHER CONDITIONS: New England is known for inclement and rapidly changing weather. A driver attempting to drive through hazardous weather when it simply is not safe to do so may be liable in the event of an accident.
• BLIND SPOT ACCIDENTS: Tractor trailers have four major blind spots about the vehicle and oftentimes accidents occur when either the truck driver or the other motorist are not aware of or heed the danger of a potential blind spot.
• DISTRACTED DRIVING: Distractions take a truck drivers attention off driving, which can make a truck driver miss critical events, objects, and cues or abandon control of a vehicle, all potentially leading to a crash.  When driving a large semi-truck, drivers have less margin for error given the weight of the vehicles and their inability to stop quickly.

WHAT ARE COMMON INJURIES IN TRUCKING CRASHES?

Truck accidents that involve passenger vehicles can be severe. Two passenger vehicles colliding can certainly have devastating consequences, but a passenger car is simply no match for the size and power of a tractor trailer truck. The damage from such an accident may be irreversible and last a lifetime, saddling you with current and future healthcare and life expenses. The following are typical truck accident injuries:

• BACK AND NECK INJURIES: Your back and neck are made up a of a matrix of bones, tissue, and ligaments when can be very sensitive and fragile. Whiplash injuries, when the head and neck snap in a direction different from the body, are common in commercial vehicle accidents. These injuries can be difficult because the damage my not be apparent immediately following the accident.
• SPINAL CORD INJURIES: Spinal injuries can be devastating as they frequently result in permanent, irreparable injury. This can include loss of motor function, or partial or complete paralysis below the waist, torso, or neck. Spinal cord injuries may require ongoing treatment, medical operations, therapy, and accommodations to your home or automobile.
• HEAD AND BRAIN INJURIES: This may be as simple as a bump on the head resulting in a minor concussion, or as severe as a life-altering traumatic brain injury.
• AMPUTATION OR DISFIGUREMENT: Frequently trucking accidents result in someone being trapped or pinned in or under a vehicle for a period of time. Sadly, this may result in a limb becoming disabled or lost completely. This can require the use of a prosthetic, plastic surgery, or a lifetime of physical therapy and care.
• CUTS, BURNS, BRUISES, AND BROKEN BONES: With the speed and power of a trucking accident there is always jagged metal, broken glass, pavement, and even the possibility of fuel combustion. This can lead to all manner of cuts and burns ranging from the mild to severe. While they may not seem as life altering as, say, a spinal cord injury, they can still require extensive recover and result in significant pain and suffering.
• DEATH: Unfortunately, many trucking accidents result in a fatal crash. If your loved one died in a fatal truck accident, either immediately or after the fact, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death suit. Of course there is no amount of money that can bring a loved one back or heal the pain of your loss, but there may be unpaid medical bills, funeral expenses, life expenses, and pain and suffering. Financial recover by pursuing a fatal truck accident lawsuit can help pay those expenses and out of pocket costs and bring justice for your loved one.

Contact the personal injury attorneys at the Marin and Barrett, Inc. law firm if you or a loved one has suffered injuries after an accident involving a commercial vehicle in Rhode Island. Talk to an highly rated Rhode Island truck accident lawyer to help you recover the financial compensation you need to compensate you for your life-altering injuries.

POTENTIAL DAMAGES AND SETTLEMENTS AMOUNTS FOR THOSE INJURED IN TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Like all cases, each trucking accident case has its own particular facts and circumstances that go into determining the amount of damages that may be recovered. Depending on your case you may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages on your truck accident claim.

ECONOMIC DAMAGES

• Medical expenses, including past, present, and future bills
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages, both from missed work and missed future earning potential
• Household bills
• Transportation costs

NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGES

• Pain and suffering
• Anxiety and post-traumatic stress (emotional distress)
• Loss of companionship or consortium
• Lifestyle impairment

In the most tragic cases truck accidents can result in a fatal truck crash. Of course there is no amount of money that can bring a loved one back or fill the void left by their absence. Nevertheless, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to recover funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.

The monetary and intangible costs of a trucking can be staggering; in addition to the mounting medical bills, there is a good chance that you have lost your income and earning potential as a result of the accident. You may only have a limited opportunity to get the money that you rightfully deserve after an accident and hold the responsible parties accountable. Here at Marin and Barrett, Inc., our local RI personal injury attorneys stand ready to fight for your rights to ensure a full financial recovery.

NATIONAL TRUCKING ACCIDENT STATISTICS

With trucking and transportation such a vital part of our economy, trucks necessarily spent countless hours and miles on the road. In 2018, large trucks and tractor trailers accounted for 9% of all miles traveled on the road. With all of the trucks and passenger vehicles on the road, accidents are an unfortunate reality. In 2018 alone, there were 4,761 people killed in trucking accidents – a 12% increase in a ten year period according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority. Of the 4,761 fatalities, 16% were the truck drivers themselves, while 67% were passenger vehicle occupants and 15% were pedestrians.

In accidents involving both a large truck and a passenger vehicle the statistical likelihood of survival weighs much more heavily in favor of the truck driver. In 2018, of the 2,212 deaths that resulted from fatal accidents between trucks and passenger vehicles, 96% percent of the deaths were the car passengers.

TOP LEGAL COUNSEL FOR PROVIDENCE TRUCK COLLISION INJURY VICTIMS

Across the country tens of thousands of people are injured every year in commercial vehicle accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a truck accident you have the right to seek financial compensation. The money you recover can help to cover expensive medical bills, make up for lost income while you recover from your injuries, and compensate you for the emotional stress of the accident and your injuries.

At Marin and Barrett, Inc., our RI trucking injury lawyers, including Attorney Matthew Marin, Attorney Kensley Barrett, and Attorney Nicholas Parrillo, have seen first-hand the toll these accidents can take on the victims and their families. Our personal injury lawyers are here to help you assert your legal rights and recover the financial compensation you deserve for your personal injury claims. Call us 24/7 at 401-298-9116 for a free, no obligation truck accident case review and consultation.

To Learn More About Your Rights and Receive a Free Initial Consultation from local attorneys experienced in handling truck crashes and collisions, Contact us 24/7 at 401-298-9116 YOU ONLY PAY IF WE WIN