Truck Accident Lawyer in Durham, NC

Semi-truck on the road

A regular passenger vehicle is no match for a truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds. People involved in a crash with a commercial motor vehicle can face life-altering injuries and overwhelming medical bills. They may not be able to return to work, and the financial impact can haunt them for the rest of their lives. The Durham truck accident lawyer at Kreger Brodish LLP fights for justice for crash victims.

With over a decade of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death cases, we have the skills and the resources to take on deep-pocketed trucking companies and insurance companies. So if you or a loved one were hurt in a collision with an 18-wheeler in Durham, North Carolina, turn to our law firm today for a free initial case review. Our Durham personal injury lawyer will discuss your situation and advise you of your legal options with no obligation. Call now, and get the help you deserve.

Why Truck Accidents Are More Complicated

Truck accident claims can be much more complicated than typical car accident cases. Some of the reasons include the following:

  • More severe injuries – The size of commercial trucks means that a collision with an 18-wheeler can impart significant forces. These forces often lead to victims suffering catastrophic injuries. Treatment and long-term care needs are more expensive, so the victim needs to recover more excellent compensation to cover all their expenses and losses.
  • Multiple injured parties – Truck accidents can involve multiple vehicles and victims. When a truck crash injures many people, it can complicate the claims process significantly if damages surpass the liable parties’ insurance coverages and financial resources.
  • More evidence – Commercial motor vehicles are complex machines. Thoroughly investigating truck accidents requires examining more evidence that might be looked at in other kinds of auto accident cases. Investigating a truck accident case requires in-depth knowledge of complicated federal and state laws regulating commercial motor vehicle operations.
  • More potentially liable parties – Many companies are involved in the operation of a commercial truck. Each party may bear some or all the fault for a truck accident. This can complicate a truck accident claim as each party tries to shift blame for the crash onto other potentially liable parties.
  • Complicated insurance coverages – Trucking companies often have complex, layered insurance policies, making it difficult to determine how much coverage may be available to compensate you for your losses.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident in North Carolina?

While liability for most auto accidents falls on one or more drivers involved in the crash, the nature of the trucking industry means that many more parties may share in liability. Examples of parties that may be at fault for a trucking accident in North Carolina, include:

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company
  • The truck’s owner, if different from the driver or truck company
  • The truck’s manufacturer
  • A manufacturer of truck parts
  • The truck’s mechanic
  • The freight company or freight broker responsible for loading cargo onto the truck or trailer

Compensation Available After a Truck Accident in North Carolina

If you were involved in a North Carolina truck accident that was caused by someone else, you might be entitled to recover compensation for losses that you have suffered, including:

  • Medical expenses to treat and rehabilitate injuries you sustained in the wreck
  • Costs for long-term care services for permanent disabilities or chronic health conditions caused by your injuries
  • Lost income and earning ability if you are temporarily or permanently disabled from your job or any employment
  • Repair bills or replacement costs if your vehicle was damaged in the 18-wheeler crash
  • Physical pain and emotional distress
  • Lost enjoyment and quality of life

Our North Carolina truck accident lawyer helps families pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim in the most tragic cases. Although no money can make things right, these claims can financially hold the at-fault party accountable.

Understanding North Carolina’s Contributory Negligence Law

The trucking companies and their insurers may claim that you bear some share of fault for the accident that caused your injuries. Under North Carolina’s contributory negligence law, you need to understand how that can affect your rights to financial recovery. This rule says that an injured party cannot recover compensation if they bear any share of fault for an accident or the injuries they suffered. Therefore, if you are found to be even 1 percent at fault for an 18-wheeler accident, you would be considered ineligible to pursue compensation.

For this reason, you need an experienced Durham truck accident lawyer who will push back when trucking companies and insurers try to pin the blame on you and avoid liability.