Chesterfield County Truck Accident Lawyer

Large commercial vehicles are a common sight on Chesterfield County's roads. Utility vans, tankers, and tractor-trailers often even outnumber passenger vehicles on highways.

Unfortunately for the drivers and passengers in personal cars, the presence of these large trucks can put them in considerable danger. Commercial vehicles can be slow to stop in an emergency, and many truckers may not exercise the caution necessary to keep others safe. These factors combine to make truck accidents a common cause of personal injuries in Chesterfield County.

If a truck driver's negligence led to your injuries, a Chesterfield County truck accident lawyer may be able to help. An experienced personal injury attorney can explain the responsibilities of truck drivers, gather evidence of negligence, and demand every dollar of compensation to which you are entitled.

Commercial truck operators have an absolute duty to drive in a safe and reasonable manner. This includes an obligation to follow all the rules of the road. Despite their size, all truckers must yield when required by law, follow all applicable speed limits, and take appropriate caution to check blind spots before changing lanes.

How Must Truckers Prevent Harm?

There are additional steps truckers and their employers must take to prevent harm to others. On cargo-carrying vehicles, weight must be evenly distributed. A failure to do this could cause a truck to jackknife or flip, placing other travelers in danger. Additionally, truckers are subject to driving time limits under federal laws. A truck accident lawyer in Chesterfield County can provide more information about the responsibilities of truck drivers and how a failure to meet these responsibilities can result in injury.

An injured plaintiff carries the burden to prove that a defendant's negligence was the source of the accident. Personal injury cases in the Commonwealth use a legal concept known as contributory negligence. This means that if a jury believes a plaintiff shares even one percent of the blame for an accident, it cannot award any compensation. Because of this, it is essential to build a powerful case.

Why Should Someone Hire a Lawyer Quickly?

Defendants and their insurance companies often try to get ahead of a claim and shift blame onto the plaintiff. A Chesterfield County tractor-trailer crash attorney can work quickly to gather police reports, visit the scene of the accident, and talk to witnesses in an attempt to build a powerful case that names a negligent truck driver as the sole party responsible for an accident.

Plaintiffs who are able to prove their claims are entitled to compensation for all their losses, including medical bills. However, a comprehensive damages award also includes a plaintiff's economic losses and mental anguish. In fact, it is not uncommon for these non-direct damages to be worth more than the medical bills following a truck accident claim. An accomplished attorney can work to account for the full extent of a victim's losses and demand full compensation.

The days following an accident involving a commercial truck can be confusing and intimidating. You may be curious as to your legal rights, how to obtain necessary medical treatment, and how to move forward with a claim against a negligent driver.

The simple fact is that truck drivers have the same responsibilities to operate in a safe manner as all other motorists. A failure to uphold any of these laws, or even simple carelessness, can all serve as the basis for a negligence claim against a truck driver and their employer.

Personal injury claims are subject to strict deadlines, so contact a Chesterfield County truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case.