Truck Accidents

truck accident litigation

Scranton Truck Accident Lawyers

Fast and heavy trucks, tractor-trailers, and semi-trucks have the potential to cause serious motor vehicle accidents on Pennsylvania roadways. These accidents typically lead to severe – and sometimes catastrophic – personal injuries and damages, which tend to be far more serious than those sustained in fender benders and other small-scale motor vehicle collisions. Truck drivers are required to adhere to stricter federal safety rules and regulations. Given the vast difference in size between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle, truck accident injuries are typically more severe.

One out of every eight car accident fatalities involve large trucks such as big rigs, tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles. When a truck is involved in an auto crash, 86 percent of fatalities and 77 percent of those injured are the drivers and passengers of the smaller vehicles involved in the collision. The injuries resulting from truck accidents can be devastating, ranging anywhere from broken bones to concussion, amputation, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, paralysis or even death. You need an experienced Scranton truck accident attorney to handle your case. We are specialists in rollover accidents, jackknife accidents, under ride collision and unsafe lane change.

If you have been injured in a commercial truck accident in or around Scranton County, you may be entitled to monetary compensation under Pennsylvania law for your medical bills and other losses. If it can be proven that the trucker was at fault, our Scranton-based personal injury law firm can help you file a personal injury claim against the truck driver and the trucking company. Our experienced attorneys at OHDP are ready to assist you with your case and help you to maximize the amount of your potential recovery.  You may be entitled to receive financial compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our skilled lawyers will make it a priority to help you recover monetary awards you deserve after suffering injuries due to a truck accident.

Trucks Are Large Vehicles

Tractor-trailers, big rigs, semi-trucks, and other large trucks weigh many tons and are able to travel at very fast speeds on Pennsylvania highways. When large trucks travel at highway speeds of 70 miles per hour or greater, a smaller vehicle does not stand a chance in a collision and the results can be catastrophic. On highways, some truck drivers often drive like they are the ‘kings of the road.’ Truck drivers tend to switch lanes often and quickly maneuver around slower-moving vehicles, with the goal of arriving at their destinations faster. They also may exceed speed limits or fail to slow down in the event of adverse weather.

There is a strong financial incentive for both trucking companies and their drivers to arrive at their destinations early and deliver their cargo ahead-of-schedule. However, truck drivers still have an a duty to drive reasonably and safely when they operate their vehicles on Pennsylvania highways. When they fail to do so and cause a motor vehicle accident, they can be deemed negligent and held liable for the injuries and damages they cause. Some additional examples of negligence that can cause truck accidents include:

  • Exceeding hours of service limits and driving while fatigued
  • Aggressive or intimidating driving maneuvers
  • Distracted driving, such as texting or using a Smartphone
  • Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol
  • Failing to properly inspect and maintain trucks
  • Trucking companies hiring drivers with a history of dangerous driving
  • Failure to supervise truck drivers properly
  • Improper loading of cargo

Determining the cause of your truck accident is essential for you to obtain compensation though the exact cause can also be challenging for victims to identify and prove. OHDP has the resources to fully investigate your crash and consult with truck accident experts if needed to prove your claim. Without an experienced Scranton truck accident lawyer behind you, it might be difficult to obtain fair compensation you deserve. Our law firm has years of experience in truck accident claims and work on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t charge you any fees unless we win your injury case.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Rollover Accidents – Rollover accidents are one of the most common types of truck accidents. They are very dangerous and frequently involve multiple vehicles. Due to the extensive number of semi-trucks, tractor-trailers and other types of large trucks on the streets and highways of NEPA Counties, drivers are at a much higher risk of being involved in a truck accident. Typically, commercial trucks are manufactured with a significantly higher center of gravity. Therefore, it’s much more difficult to maneuver than cars, which can lead to rollover accidents. The sheer size of most trucks means that rollover accidents can leave drivers and occupants with catastrophic injuries, permanent disabilities from spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.

Unfortunately, some tragic cases lead to death. There are numerous factors that can cause truck rollover accidents, including trucking industry violations such as fatigued drivers or drivers distracted by electronic devices. Other factors that may cause a truck rollover accident include making sharp turns, aggressive driving maneuvers, speeding, improperly loaded cargo, and attempting to stop on a wet or on soft surface.

Jackknife Accidents – Many large trucks are equipped with a pivoting joint that allows sharper turns. If the towed vehicle skids during a sharp turn, the trailer will slide all the way around until acing the other direction. In some truck accident cases, the trailer will skid past the front of the vehicle crashing into other vehicles as it continues down the highway. Other truck accidents could be a result of quick unexpected braking, which causes the loaded trailer to skid out of control and jackknife into the cab. There are numerous potential causes of a truck jackknife accident, including speeding or traveling faster that weather conditions permits, negligent maintenance, mechanical failure, improperly loaded cargo, driver error due to intoxication or fatigue, and reckless and aggressive driving.

If you are injured in a trucking accident, many different parties could be held responsible for your injuries. For example, the truck driver might be liable if he was speeding or committing some other type of traffic violation at the time of the accident. The truck owner could also be held liable for the acts of their employee. The trucking company might be liable for your injuries if they failed to properly maintain the condition of the truck or failed to have the truck driver comply with safety regulations.

Truck Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries

Because of the extreme size and weight discrepancy between large commercial trucks and regular passenger cars, collisions have the potential to bring about severe and catastrophic injuries that lead to extensive damages. Serious injuries sustained in commercial truck crashes may include some or all of the following:

  • Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Fractures
  • Muscular Tears
  • Internal bleeding
  • Broken bones
  • Permanent impairment
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis

Truck accident injuries can often be life-threatening and require emergency treatment. Some victims must remain in the hospital for an extended period of time for monitoring and stabilization or to undergo surgical procedures. Medical treatment may be ongoing for weeks, months, or even years and some injuries cause life-long impairments or disabilities. It is no surprise that the losses incurred by truck accident victims can be substantial.

Injured plaintiffs in Pennsylvania truck accident cases may be able to receive some or all of the following types of damages as part of their recovery:

  • Bills for past and future medical treatment
  • Past and future lost wages and lost earning potential
  • Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
  • Emotional distress, including treatment for mental injuries
  • Permanent impairments, scarring, or disabilities

An experienced Scranton personal injury lawyer will be able to review the facts and circumstances of your individual case and can determine which types of damages are available. Our legal team always fights for the maximum amount that is available so that our truck accident clients can recover and move forward with their lives.

Call a Scranton Truck Accident Injury Lawyer To Discuss Your Case

To make sure that you get properly compensated, it is crucial to have an experienced Scranton truck accident lawyer on your side right away. Physical evidence at the accident scene such as skid marks and scuffs begin to disappear within hours after a truck accident once the police barriers are removed. Weather and vehicular traffic along the same stretch of the road will quickly destroy evidence. Although trucking companies are required to maintain certain documents for a specific period of time, once that time period expires, the documents are promptly destroyed to limit the companies’ exposure to liability.

Our knowledgeable and aggressive personal injury attorneys will immediately intervene to ensure that all evidence is collected and preserved, that you receive the best possible care and treatment, and that the best possible team of experts is retained to evaluate and build your case.  Our attorneys will determine what losses you are entitled to be compensated for, from vehicle damage, to past and future medical expenses, to lost wages, to pain and suffering. Our firm will guide you through the process to make sure you and your family receive the maximum possible compensation for the injuries you have suffered.

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a truck or tractor-trailer, you should not delay in discussing your rights with a skilled truck accident law firm. Our attorneys will represent you throughout every stage of your case. To schedule a free consultation or case evaluation with OHDP Law Firm, call our office at 570-348-3711 or e-mail us using our contact form.