Lancaster County truck accident lawyers

Helping truck accident victims in Lancaster County

Truck accidents are among the most devastating of auto accidents. When a tractor-trailer hits a car, it inevitably results in severe injuries to the people in the car.

If you have suffered injuries following a collision with a semi-truck, you may feel frightened, alone, and even hopeless. What you may not know is that if your accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the legal right to ask for compensation.

Of course, going through the claims process is difficult, especially if you are trying to recover from serious injuries. That’s where we at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys come in. We consider it a calling to help our neighbors in Lancaster County, and we are well-qualified and experienced to serve you with excellence. Further, with our Zero Fee Guarantee, letting us work for you won’t add another bill to your pile.

To discuss your legal options with a local, compassionate Lancaster County truck accident attorney, call us today at (804) 413-6777. We are ready to help.

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Why are truck accidents so dangerous?

Trucks are far larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. When a big rig and a car collide, the rig almost always comes out on top.

Due to truck design, not all truck accidents look the same, but they are more much devastating than car vs. car accidents. The types of truck-related wrecks you might see are:

• Underrides
• Rollovers
• Cargo spills
• Runaway trailers
• Runaway trucks
• Jackknifes
• Overloaded trucks

The fact that trucks are constantly on the road also makes them dangerous. When your car starts to wear down, you take it to a mechanic to make sure it’s still in good condition. Many trucks are on the road almost 24/7. This means that they experience more wear and tear, which makes them more prone to malfunction.

For example, the brakes of a trailer will wear down over time, and eventually stop working. When that happens, the trucker will not be able to stop the rig, which can result in a runaway truck accident. These kinds of accidents are often fatal. In fact, more than 2,400 truck accidents in Virginia resulted in almost 400 deaths in a recent year, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). That 17% death rate is why regulations are so strict for commercial trucks.

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How are trucks regulated?

Trucks in Virginia are regulated by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at the federal level. These agencies set regulations about how often truck drivers should take rest breaks, how long the breaks should be, and how heavy the trucks can be.

For example, in Virginia, trucks may weigh 20,000 pounds per axle. A standard semi-truck has three axels, so most trucks may not weigh more than 60,000 pounds. If it weighs more than that, the truck is considered overloaded, and the driver and the company responsible for loading it are breaking the law.

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After a crash, who can be considered responsible?

Shipping goods all over the country requires many moving parts and people. This means that several people or companies could be responsible for your injuries, depending on what they did or didn’t do. When it comes to most truck accidents, the commonly liable parties are:

The truck driver: If the driver is drunk, tired, or distracted, then a collision may be inevitable. One of the leading causes of truck collisions in Virginia is improper lane changes, which accounted for nearly 13% of our trucking accidents, according to VDOT.

The mechanic: As we’ve said, trucks experience a lot of wear and tear on the road. This means that they have to be serviced regularly by a mechanic. If the mechanic fails to spot an obvious and dangerous issue, or fails to fix a defect, the mechanic may be responsible.

The trucking company: Trucking companies can put profits over the safety of those on the road. This means cutting corners to save time and make more money. But those cut corners can result in mechanical failures, fatigued drivers, and overloaded trucks, all of which can cause a serious accident.

Another driver: Sometimes, the responsible party is another driver in a passenger vehicle. Maybe the driver cut in front of the truck, causing it to spiral out of control. Or maybe a car driver hit his brakes too quickly, and the truck driver didn’t have time to stop and so swerved into another lane of traffic. You’ll need to investigate all the possibilities before filing your claim.

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What compensation can I recover?

The purpose of a Lancaster County personal injury claim is to make sure you can cover the damages you suffered in the accident. Many people don’t know that a claim can go beyond the damage to your car or the costs of your injuries. You may be able to receive compensation these:

• Past and future medical bills
• Property damage to items inside your car
• Lost wages
• Lost job opportunities
• Physical therapy costs
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma

If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident in Lancaster County that was someone else’s fault, you deserve to be compensated by the responsible party for your injuries. There’s no excuse for negligence with 60,000-pound vehicles.

We at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys are dedicated to making the roads safer for everyone by sharing helpful information. But when an accident happens due to someone’s carelessness, we are here to help the victims.

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Who should I turn to for help?

Our partners, Ken Gibson and John Singleton, know how to put a plan in action and follow it through to a successful end. When you call us at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys, you don’t just get attorneys on your side – you get real compassion and care from the start to the end of your case.

As highly experienced personal injury attorneys, we offer the legal knowledge you need to get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (804) 413-6777 to talk with John and Ken. Remember, we have a Zero Fee Guarantee, so you don’t owe us a cent unless we win your case.

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