Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Lake Charles
Driving west on I-10 toward Texas, the last major town you’ll pass through is Lake Charles. It’s a bustling city of nearly 100,000 people known for its casinos, art scene, and so much more. However, it’s also known for experiencing nearly 4,800 crashes every year in the city limits, either on I-10, I-210, or other highways or surface streets.
No matter the cause, traffic accidents all result in disrupted lives, destroyed property, and pain and suffering. Thankfully, cars and big trucks are safer than they’ve ever been, and the auto industry continues to innovate in making them even safer. However, the sheer size difference between an 18-wheeler and the average passenger vehicle is so big, if you’re in an accident with one, you risk major injury or even death.
If you or someone you love was hit by a big rig near Lake Charles, you need a personal injury lawyer with the experience and drive to serve as your advocate. The trucking company and their insurance know all too well that paying out the compensation you deserve will hurt their bottom line, so they work hard to pay you the minimum possible.
The Lake Charles truck wreck lawyers with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys work just as hard as you do to ensure you get the help you need. Call us today at 337.888.8888 for a free consultation about your case.
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What Causes Truck Accidents?
Truck drivers form a backbone of American shipping, and are vitally important to the continued functioning of the economy. As a result, truckers and delivery vehicle drivers often face immense pressure to deliver their wares as quickly as possible, which can result in a number of risky and downright dangerous behaviors.
The taxing aspects of truckers’ jobs can endanger any civilian driving in the wrong place at the wrong time. Any of the following conditions can lead to a potentially deadly error:
- Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. Drivers regularly post long hours behind the wheel, and even though local and federal regulations require breaks, they aren’t always followed. Drowsy driving has been shown to be just as dangerous as drunk driving, and leads to thousands of accidents every year.
- Unbalanced or overweight cargo due to improper loading might seem to be relatively minor, but with the weights that trucks carry, it can be a major driver of highway accidents. Cargo mismanagement can inhibit a driver’s control and lead to fishtailing, jackknifing, and other serious mishaps.
- Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs is dangerous—and illegal—in any vehicle, but trucks in particular can be exceedingly dangerous if their driver is impaired. Wrecks caused by inhibited drivers are not only tragic, they’re entirely avoidable.
- Trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger cars, and drivers forget this fact at their peril. If you’re driving alongside a truck on the highway, remember that if you can’t see them in their rear-view mirror, they can’t see you. Exercise caution and don’t linger in a truck’s blind spot.
- Speeding trucks pose an immense danger to other vehicles as 18 wheelers take much longer and are more difficult to bring to a full stop than smaller automobiles such as cars or motorcycles
- Semi-trucks can be a danger to all drivers on the road even if they have been perfectly maintained, however an improperly maintained truck creates even more opportunities for a crash caused by brake failures, powertrain malfunctions, tire blowouts, and more
Common Injuries After Truck Accidents in Lake Charles
The average tractor trailer weighs between 20 and 30 times more than the average passenger vehicle, making it extremely likely that, in the event of an accident, the passenger vehicle and its occupants will be hurt more than the truck driver. In fact, many of the injuries that truck accident victims sustain can be life-changing:
- Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by the victim’s head hitting something hard during a crash and injuring their brain. TBIs can permanently disable the victim, causing memory loss, motor issues, mood shifts, or even death.
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries are fairly common during truck wrecks due to the extreme forces involved. Injuries to the spinal cord can cause partial or total paralysis, ongoing pain, and other injuries requiring expensive medical intervention, equipment, and therapy.
- Broken bones are the most common injury following a truck wreck. While these are generally less severe than spine or brain injuries, they can still cause pain, cause the victim to be unable to work, and require expensive surgery and treatment.
- Catastrophic injuries such as loss of limb can occur in the event of an accident with a big rig and can drastically alter a person’s quality of life, ability to work, and more
- In many of the most tragic circumstances, a semi-truck accident can cause the wrongful death of the other vehicle’s driver or passengers
What Compensation Can I Expect After a Truck Wreck?
If you’ve been hit by a truck, you may not know what to do after your accident and you could be facing thousands of dollars in costs, from your medical bills, lost wages, inability to work, therapy and equipment costs, and more. Luckily, if the wreck was the truck driver’s fault you could stand to collect tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, depending on the severity of the wreck and your injuries.
The amount of compensation you could expect can also depend on who is found liable for your accident. A number of parties could be found responsible for your injuries:
- The truck driver who drove recklessly or with disregard for others
- The truck loader if they improperly loaded the cargo
- The truck owner if they failed to properly maintain the truck, leading to the wreck
- The government agency charged with maintaining the road, if bad infrastructure contributed to the wreck
- Other drivers, if their actions caused the wreck
Determining liability in big truck accident cases can be notoriously difficult, which is why you need a Louisiana law firm with the experience to bring those responsible to justice. Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have 679+ years of combined legal experience practicing personal injury law in Louisiana, and we know what it takes to win.
Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys Are Your Truck Injury Advocates
If you or a loved one has been in a truck wreck, you don’t need to face the coming weeks and months alone. The truck injury lawyers with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys are here to help you recover the compensation you need to begin to heal. Give us a call at 337.888.8888 for a free consultation about your legal options.
Lake Charles Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me
337.888.8888
How It Works
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