We do not ask you to pay anything upfront when hiring our truck collision attorney in Millbrook. We work based on contingency fees. You only pay us when we win your case and recover money for you.
What Are Some Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
In one recent year, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) reported 10,452 accidents involving large trucks. This total included more than 2,400 injuries and 162 fatalities. Some reasons for this high number of accidents include:
- Driver fatigue, often violating Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours-of-service regulations
- Distracted driving
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Improper loading, overloading, or unbalanced cargo
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving or aggressive driving
- Failure to maintain the vehicle
- Inadequate driver training or lack of qualifications
- Negligent hiring or oversight by the trucking company
Failure to follow traffic laws was the proximate cause of many of these accidents. The most common laws violated include:
- Improper lane change
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Failure to see the other vehicle or pedestrian
- Tailgating
According to ALDOT, the highest percentage of truck crashes occurred on interstates, where 29.8 percent of these accidents happened. In addition, 22.8 percent of truck crashes that year occurred on city streets, while 18.6 percent happened on state routes.
Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident?
Liability for commercial truck accidents often falls on the trucking company due to the legal doctrine of respondeat superior. This doctrine holds employers accountable for the actions of their employees so long as they were committed within the scope of employment.
Additionally, the trucking company may be directly liable if it is negligent. This could include:
- Negligent hiring
- Failure to maintain the vehicle
- Failure to comply with federal or state regulations, such as violating hours-of-service rules or weight limits
How Our Team Builds a Convincing Truck Accident Case to Recover Compensation
When you partner with our legal team and attorney to manage your truck crash case in Millbrook, we will take the necessary steps to preserve key evidence and develop a convincing case. This could include:
- Requesting the police report
- Preserving evidence in possession of the trucking company through letters of spoliation
- Consulting accident reconstruction experts
- Obtaining relevant medical records
- Gathering statements from bystanders, other drivers, or passengers
- Reviewing surveillance footage to see if it captured the crash
- Inspecting the truck and vehicle damage
- Requesting driver and company records
- Preserving electronic data
- Examining trucking regulations to check for violations
With this evidence, we can often negotiate a fair settlement with the trucking company or file a lawsuit and prepare the case for trial. If negotiations fail, we can pursue compensation through a trial. Under Ala. Code § 6-2-38, we generally have two years from the accident date to sue the trucking company or another liable party.
Discuss Your Millbrook, AL, Truck Accident With Our Attorney for Free
The Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown provides a free consultation for truck accident victims. You can learn how our Millbrook truck accident lawyer handles these cases and can help you. Contact us to get started.
