Gloucester County truck accident attorneys

Injured by a big rig crash in Gloucester? We are here for you.

Located in Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, Gloucester County is part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It’s a mouthful, but our county, which calls itself the "Daffodil Capital of the World," covers 288 square miles and is home to more than 40,000 residents.

U.S. Route 17, also known as the George Washington Memorial Highway, runs the length of the county and is our major roadway. Other well-traveled thoroughfares include Virginia State Routes 3, 14, 33, 198, 216, and 374. These roads see heavy truck traffic throughout the year, which poses a hazard to passenger vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Your risk of colliding with a truck in Gloucester County is enhanced by our twisting and turning roads, blind intersections, and heavy rainfall typical of coastal Virginia.

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We at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys hope that you’re never involved in a wreck with a tractor-trailer, but we often see it happen in our county. If it happens to you, we’re here to help you get the money you need to pay your medical bills and your lost time from work - and help you get your life back on track. For a free consultation with a homegrown Gloucester County vehicle accident lawyer, give us a call at (804) 413-6777. We live here. We work here. We’re here to help.

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What are the unique dangers of commercial trucks?

Commercial trucks, also called tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, or big rigs, are particularly dangerous because of their large size and heavy weight. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds, which is 20 times the weight of the average automobile. The weight makes these vehicles hard to maneuver and harder to bring to a complete stop. So, even a tiny slip by a truck driver can end in a horrific crash.

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Who regulates commercial trucks?

Because tractor-trailers have the potential to do so much damage, they are highly regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA restricts how much a truck can weigh, how often a truck needs to be inspected, how many hours a driver can drive during a shift, and how many days a driver can drive without a day off.

Unfortunately, many trucking companies encourage their drivers to violate FMCSA regulations to increase their profit margins. Common violations we’ve seen include overloading trailers, not performing routine maintenance and repairs, speeding, driving in dangerous conditions, driving too many hours in a shift or days in a row, and driving under the influence of stimulants or other drugs.

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If I’m injured in a truck accident, what compensation can I get?

Truck accidents generally cause more damage than collisions between two passenger vehicles - both to property, and to the vehicle occupants. Serious injuries caused by a truck accident are, of course, going to result in higher medical bills, more recuperation time, greater impact to a victim’s lifestyle, and - more often - death. If you’ve been injured in an accident with a commercial truck, you may be entitled to compensation for the following damages:

• Present and future medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Costs of physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Mental trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and counseling
• Permanent injury or disability
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of a limb
• Household and vehicle modifications to accommodate your injury
• Lost wages
• Loss of career
• Loss of earning potential or reduced earning potential
• Costs of in-home care
• Loss of joy of life

If the truck accident caused the death of a loved one, you as a family member can ask for wrongful death damages from the truck driver (if he was negligent) and the trucking company (if they encouraged negligent practices). These damages include:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering of the deceased before death
• Loss of future income
• Loss of future benefits, such as medical benefits, retirement, etc.
• Loss of companionship, love, affection, guidance, etc.
• Loss of household services the deceased provided, such as childcare, vehicle and property maintenance, etc.

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How do I get the compensation I deserve?

As you can see, the costs of a truck accident can be staggering. Now, imagine the costs if more than one passenger is injured in the wreck. Since 2014, there have been at least five separate tractor-trailer accidents in Virginia that killed four people and seriously injured six. Just one of these accidents likely cost millions of dollars.

Unfortunately, Virginia only requires tractor-trailers not hauling explosives or HAZMAT goods to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance. This sum would hardly cover the catastrophic injuries to multiple victims. That’s one reason it’s important to have an experienced Virginia truck accident attorney on your side.

If you or your family has suffered in a collision with a tractor-trailer, we want to stress that you should hire a law firm that has handled trucking claims before. Truck accident claims are different from regular car accident claims, because they often involve multiple parties and high-powered insurance companies. In fact, newer commercial trucks have a "black box" that automatically dials the trucking company’s insurer after a collision – and we’ve seen their cleanup teams get there before the emergency responders can.

As soon as possible after a big rig accident, call the Gloucester County truck accident lawyers at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys. We will thoroughly investigate your accident, track down all parties involved, and see that you get the settlement or verdict you deserve. As former U.S. Marines, John Singleton and Ken Gibson are not afraid to “mix it up” with the powerful trucking interests. Together, we have tried thousands of cases in a courtroom.

No one should suffer financial hardship due to the negligent or reckless behavior of a truck driver or a trucking company. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact our Gloucester office for a free case evaluation at (804) 413-6777 today. As Gloucester County-based injury attorneys, we consider it a calling to help our neighbors and guests get the justice they deserve after a serious truck accident.

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Additional Information

• What are the 10 most dangerous intersections in Gloucester County, VA? And how can you stay safe while driving through them
• Commercial Services - Virginia DMV