Birmingham Truck Accident Attorney

Legal Help After a Collision with a Large Truck in Alabama

If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, it is very important that you do not sign anything given to you by an insurance company, even your own insurance company. Once proper medical treatment is received, immediately call an experienced Birmingham truck accident attorney to represent you and read over anything for you before you sign.

Call the Guster Law Firm, LLC today at (205) 581-9777. Tell us about your case and we can discuss your rights and help you understand your options before moving forward.

Any accident is a terrifying event. When a large truck is involved, the danger is far greater. When you combine high speeds, a vehicle weighing up to 80,000 lbs., and a poor decision by a truck driver, you have a recipe for disaster. According to the Department of Transportation, 1,562 people in Alabama were injured in a truck accident, and 90 people died in 2012 alone. If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident, it is imperative that you speak with a lawyer to assist you to seek full compensation.

Negligent Truck Drivers

If the truck driver was at fault, and they often are, you have the right to pursue compensation. At the Guster Law Firm, LLC our Birmingham truck accident attorney can fight for the compensation you deserve. There are many risky behaviors by truck drivers that leave innocent people injured, disabled, and suffering.

Some example of this:

• Commercial drivers abusing controlled substances while driving
• Fail to perform the required safety checks on their vehicles
• Drivers that are fatigued, and have violated hours of service regulations
• Distracted driving, aggressive driving, or driving the vehicle too fast for road or weather conditions

Commercial drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely. At-fault truck drivers and their employers must be held responsible for their actions when innocent people are injured or killed.

Was Negligence Involved in My Case?

That depends a great deal upon the specific details of your situation, but there are some general considerations you can keep in mind when looking for negligence in an accident. Consider what types of actions might be thought of as reasonable for a person to take, or not take, and then look at your situation. For example, if you saw that the truck driver looked tired or unusually agitated after the accident, then it is possible he or she did not have enough sleep or was using a stimulant to drive while exhausted. This could make the driver negligent, and open up the possibility of a strong civil lawsuit.

Determining when negligence is involved can be difficult, and proving it in a court of law is often even harder. You need an experienced personal injury and vehicle accident lawyer to represent you and prove the strength of your case. The other driver or trucking company will definitely have representation, and you deserve equal footing to make your case.

Recovering Damages After an Alabama Truck Accident

If you were injured because of a truck driver's negligence, you will need the help of an experienced attorney to help you to seek to recover compensation. Commercial insurance companies move fast, contacting victims and offering lowball settlements. Protect your right to the compensation you deserve by contacting our Birmingham trucking accident accident lawyer at the Guster Law Firm, LLC, LLC. We demand justice and full compensation for those we represent.

Who Can Be Held Liable for an Accident and Injuries?

Liability often depends on all of the details of a case and relies upon demonstrating negligent behavior that directly resulted in an accident and the injuries it caused. Proving negligence is particularly difficult in these kinds of cases, which is why you need an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side. While this varies from case to case, in general, there are a few possible people who might be liable for a truck accident and your injuries.

Parties who can be held liable include:

• The Truck Driver - Perhaps the most obvious person who can be liable in a truck accident is the driver of the truck. Negligence on the truck driver's behalf is often easy to prove for an experienced attorney and can stem from things such as driving too fast to control the truck, not following regulations for getting rest while driving over a long time, or the use of narcotics while operating a truck. While you should not jump to conclusions about the negligence of a truck driver, in some cases he or she might have acted poorly and be liable for your injuries.
• The Trucking Company - Depending on the specific details of an accident, the company that hires a driver and maintains the truck might be liable. If, for example, the brakes or other equipment on the truck were not properly maintained, then the trucking company might have been negligent and liable for your injuries. We may also be able to demonstrate that a truck company knew about negligent behavior on the part of a driver, which could also open them up to liability. These things are often difficult to prove, however, which is why you need an experienced lawyer on your side.
• The Manufacturer - This is probably the hardest form of liability to prove, but worth considering in many cases. If the manufacturer or a truck or its parts is negligent and some kind of mechanical failure results in an accident, then they may be liable for your injuries. Proving negligence is very difficult in these cases, however, so you definitely want a knowledgeable attorney to look at the details of your case before attempting to hold a manufacturer liable for your injuries.
• A Third Party - In some instances, someone else might have caused an accident and be liable for your injuries. For example, if a truck driver had to try to avoid someone walking out into the middle of a road, causing him or her to strike your vehicle, then the pedestrian might be liable. Negligence extends to anyone who acts unreasonably and causes an accident, so it is important to look at all the factors in a case to determine where liability rests.

How Alabama Law Could Impact Your Truck Accident Claim

It's important to consider how state laws impact truck accident claims. In Alabama, you have only two years to file 18-wheeler crash claims. You may be thinking that this is a lot of time, but remember that insurance companies are often dragging out the process to avoid payment. The negligent party may also prolong the process to avoid payment.

There are various different types of truck accidents, and each has it's own set of obstacles. Our Birmingham trucking accident lawyer can help. Our expert truck accident lawyer prepared to handle the obstacles associated with filing a claim on time.

Because while you may file on time, it's important to remember that the actions of insurance companies and the negligent party can impact your truck accident case in Birmingham. It's critical that you have a lawyer who can fight for you, especially under Alabama law.

Contact the Skilled Birmingham Truck Accident Attorney at Guster Law Firm, LLC

In some cases, truck accident cases proceed to trial, although settlements are far more common. Should your case proceed to trial, you will need a skilled Alabama litigator to take action for you, and to uncover every piece of supporting evidence for your case.

Contact our Birmingham truck accident accident lawyer for a risk-free case evaluation. We do not charge legal fees unless we win for you – call now. Guster Law Firm, LLC can be reached at (205) 581-9777.

Additional Information

• Truck Accident Blogs
• Avoiding Truck Accidents During the Holidays
• Who is Responsible for an Alabama Rollover Truck Accident?
• Federal Laws About Fatigued Alabama Truck Drivers
• Department of Transportation
• Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts
• Large Truck Stats from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety