Northeast Pennsylvania Semi Truck Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a large semi-truck, you should get help and seek compensation to cover your doctor bills and other expenses. Many tractor trailers, cargo tankers and other commercial trucks travel through Pennsylvania every day. When they cause serious accidents, the drivers and trucking companies should pay for the harm they cause.
The experience and knowledge of the attorney who you select after a commercial truck accident can make a big difference in the outcome of your claim. Our compassionate truck accident attorneys at OHDP Law have handled thousands of injury cases. We have the resources to see truck crash cases through to their resolution. We are dedicated to helping families in Northeast Pennsylvania recover from serious injuries caused by truckers’ negligence.
Types of Semi Trucks
Our truck accident lawyers at OHDP Law investigate cases where an individual or family in Pennsylvania has been injured in a crash involving a large commercial vehicle, typically an 18-wheeler.
Some of the types of semi-trucks and big rigs involved in crashes include:
- Cargo trucks
- Tractor trailers
- Fuel trucks
- Flatbed trucks
- Tanker trucks
Causes of Semi Truck Accidents
Pennsylvania highways are heavily travelled by trucks. Hundreds of people are killed and sustain injuries by these trucks every year. The drivers and passengers in other vehicles involved in truck accidents often sustain the more severe injuries.
A number of factors involving the truck driver or the vehicle itself may contribute to a serious accident.
Regularly Cited Causes of Crashes
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Driver inattention
- Driving on unfamiliar road
- Fatigue
- Following too closely or tailgating
- Improper lane change
- Aggressive driving
- Inadequate maintenance
- Brakes out of adjustment
- Unsecured cargo
Any truck accident may have multiple contributing factors and several potentially responsible parties. It is important to work with a knowledgeable truck accident attorney if you or your loved one has been seriously injured.
Do I Have A Semi Truck Accident Case?
You should contact a truck accident lawyer if you have been injured in a semi truck crash in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Carbon, Susquehanna or Bradford counties. A lawyer with OHDP Law will evaluate your accident at no charge and discuss whether you have a valid case. We will outline your legal options so that you have the information needed to decide how to proceed. If you are unable to visit our office, we can arrange to meet with you at a location convenient to you – such as your hospital or home.
A collision involving a commercial truck requires a detailed investigation to identify all the potentially liable parties. If you call us from the scene of the tractor-trailer accident, OHDP Law professionals will dispatch its team to start gathering evidence right away. Our team understands the importance of moving quickly to preserve evidence.
The trucking company or its insurance company may offer a quick, low settlement. If you have received a settlement offer, you should have a knowledgeable truck accident lawyer review it before accepting or signing anything presented by the trucking company or its insurance representative. Our semi-truck accident lawyers will review the offer and give you our informed perspective on whether it is a fair offer based on the specific facts of your accident.
You should contact an attorney if an at-fault party’s insurance company is disputing your claim. The collision may involve many insurance companies representing the trucking company, the truck driver, the owner of the trailer and the freight shipper. It is difficult to negotiate on your own. If we represent you, our experienced attorneys will negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies and seek a settlement that reflects the full extent of your injuries.
Should I Settle With The Trucking Company?
Some Pennsylvania trucking companies will contact you soon after an accident and offer a settlement. These quick settlement offers may sound impressive at first. But they typically represent a fraction of the actual value of the injury claim—essentially pennies on the dollar. The trucking company would like to limit its liability by settling the accident claim and getting it off the books before the full extent of the injury victim’s losses are even known.
In many cases, the accident victim is still receiving medical treatment and incurring medical expenses. If you accept a settlement from a trucking company while still undergoing treatment, you cannot ask the trucking company later for more money if your expenses exceed the amount of the settlement. You will be stuck picking up the tab for the balance of the medical care.
If you receive a call from a trucking company offering to settle your case, you should have a skilled attorney review the offer and provide guidance about whether it is a fair offer. Be careful. You should not sign a liability release or any other form presented by the trucking company or their insurance adjuster until you have talked with a personal injury lawyer.
What Do I Do If I’ve Been Hit By A Semi Truck
We recently released a detailed blog post on the 6 Steps To Take After A Truck Accident. You may be shaken and confused in the hours after a collision with a semi-truck. If you do not require emergency medical attention, you should still seek a prompt medical evaluation.
Inform the doctor that you were involved in a truck accident. A doctor’s evaluation will provide an independent description of your injuries and will be relied upon by insurance adjusters if you eventually need to file a claim.
Report the accident to the police or ask someone else to summon the police if you are unable. Do not let the truck driver talk you out of reporting the accident. Without an official police report, you will have more difficulty proving that the truck driver caused your injuries. It will be your word against that of the truck driver.
While you are waiting for a law enforcement officer to arrive, you should exchange vehicle registration and insurance information with the truck driver. If the truck driver is uncooperative, wait for the police to arrive. The police will collect the information.
Provide the facts of the accident to police, but do not discuss the specifics of the accident with the other driver. Do not try to reassure the other driver that you are unharmed. Even if you feel uninjured immediately after a crash, you may wake up the next day very stiff and sore.
If you can do so safely, use your phone camera to take photos of the accident scene showing damage to the vehicles, skid marks and debris in the road, and your injuries. Accident photos can provide evidence to support your claim.
Free Case Review From An Experienced Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer
Call us at (570) 348-3711 to see how we can help you achieve maximum recovery for your injuries. Remember, there is no risk to you. You won’t be charged any money unless we’re able to win your case. Our attorneys guarantee that you will be constantly informed on the status of your case – and that your questions and concerns will be addressed in a timely fashion.
If you are looking for a quality, compassionate, experienced and aggressive attorney, give OHDP a call. Please call us at (570) 348-3711, or use contact form to request free case evaluation today.