Understanding a Cargo Truck Accident
Most accidents with semi-trucks are accidents with cargo trucks. But what we’re talking about here is when the cargo actually plays a part in the accident – what happens if you’re injured in a truck wreck because you collided with the cargo the truck was hauling?
The Car Crash Captain looks into cargo truck accidents, and possible scenarios where you would want the help of a Dallas truck lawyer to ensure you’re compensated for your injuries.
Unsteady Cargo Truck Accident
Even in a wreck, a cargo truck should maintain their cargo. That means most of the time their cargo should be secured in such a way that it stays strapped to the truck unless they are involved in a really big wreck. But we know that doesn’t always happen.
- Unsecured Cargo – If a truck is carrying cargo that isn’t secured, it can fly off the truck. If it hits you, or you hit it, you shouldn’t be liable for damages.
- Improperly Secured – There are guidelines and specifications on how to secure cargo. Steel coils will need different methods than lumber, which would need something different than foam insulation. If it’s improperly secured it might look safe, but be far from safe.
- Unbalanced – Improperly loaded cargo can cause the trailer to become unbalanced. Under the right circumstances, that can lead to a truck wreck.
- Damaged Securement – If the truck wrecks, and the means of securing the cargo is damaged, their contents can spill. This can lead to more wrecks with passing vehicles.
It’s not always that the truck driver acted negligently, but there’s nearly always someone that acted negligently. The truck accident lawyers with Herbert Law Group help figure out liability.
Who is Liable in a Cargo Truck Accident?
The first party looked at is always the driver. Often they miss a step or overlook something along the way. But it’s not always the driver who is at fault.
The trucking company may be the liable party. If they didn’t provide the right materials to secure the cargo, encouraged the driver to skip steps, or their actions otherwise led to the accident, the company may bear some, or all, of the liability.
Often, however, there’s a third-party loading company. The driver and the company that own the truck merely provide the vessel for transportation. If the loading company tried to cut corners, they may be liable for the accident.
Even when there’s another party that’s liable, it often boils down to the fact that the driver should have double checked everything.
Damages You Might Recover
If you’re hurt, or a loved one is killed, in a cargo truck accident, what can you expect? What damages do you incur that you deserve compensation for?
- Property Damage – Your vehicle is damaged, and you deserve to be compensated for that. If you’re driving a vehicle, the settlement should replace that exact vehicle in its entirety.
- Medical Bills – You shouldn’t have to worry about paying for any medical bills incurred because of this wreck. That includes bills you’ll face years down the road when injuries flair back up.
- Lost Wages – If you miss work because of the wreck, you deserve to be compensated for the time you couldn’t work.
- Pain and Suffering – Injuries go beyond physical and even mental. Pain and suffering includes mental anguish, what you go through living life disabled, losing a loved one, and more.
Most insurance settlements will try to give you the lowest amount and hope you don’t take into account things like pain and suffering or injuries that come back in a few years. A seasoned truck wreck lawyer, however, knows what to fight for.
Herbert Law Group Fights for You
What we fight for is you. We know you’re hurting, and you need to focus on healing from injuries – visible or hidden. So let us do that work for you.
It all starts with a phone call. Let’s chat about what happened, determine how we can help, and device a plan from there. Your cargo truck accident doesn’t have to be drawn out, we can get these things moving in your favor.
Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll get things started.