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Every year, more than 100,000 injuries occur due to crashes involving semi-trucks and commercial vehicles. Commercial trucks are much bigger and heavier than other passenger cars, and those in smaller vehicles often suffer severe injuries or lose their lives from a semi-truck or tractor trailer crash.
Cases involving collisions with semi-trucks are complex and often involve evaluating the potential fault of multiple parties such as the driver, his or her employer, the truck owner, and the truck manufacturer. It is important to move quickly to preserve all the relevant evidence including the vehicles at issue, electronic data, driving logs, service records, bills of lading, and more. There are numerous state and federal laws that apply to commercial vehicles, and a skilled truck wreck attorney will examine the evidence carefully.
The experienced injury attorneys at BG Law can guide you through the legal process to help make sure that you and your family are treated fairly. Call a North Kansas City truck accident lawyer at BG Law today to schedule a consultation if you need help after a wreck.
Truck crashes of all types can leave drivers with extensive injuries and damages. Some of the most common accidents involving tractor-trailers include:
Jackknife truck accidents are among the most common on the roadways. They occur when a trucker tries to stop or swerve to avoid striking another vehicle, and the trailer swings around to the side toward the cab. The collisions often cause severe injuries and property damage.
A driver can lose control of the truck leading to a rollover for various reasons, including trucker error and improper loading. The crashes can crush cars, pedestrians, or anything else close by.
Tire blowout truck crashes cause many severe and fatal injuries yearly. When a truck’s tire blows out while traveling at high speeds, the driver can lose control of the vehicle, causing harm to others traveling around them. Service and maintenance records can help determine whether a truck driver, his employer, or another party may be at fault.
Underride truck accidents are among the most deadly. The incidents happen when a car hits the back or side of the truck and then slides underneath the vehicle.
The experienced truck accident attorneys at BG Law can review the list of potential causes and the evidence needed to prove your case during an initial consultation.
Those involved in collisions with semi-trucks often suffer substantial injuries; therefore, the settlement amount can be significant. Financial recovery in truck accident claims could cover a wide variety of damages, including:
The total award amount will depend on many factors, such as the extent of the injuries and the defendant’s negligence.
Missouri and Kansas have different rules when it comes to an injured person who is partially responsible for their own injuries recovering compensation:
Some truck accidents involve more than one liable party; sometimes, the plaintiff even shares a part of the fault. According to the Missouri Revised Statutes § 537.765, when the claimant shares fault for a truck crash, they will diminish the total award by that percentage.
That means if the court finds the plaintiff is ten percent liable, they can collect 90 percent of the total cost of damages. While the statute does not bar recovery for sharing fault, proving negligence is essential to recover a fair amount from the defendant.
Under Kansas Statutes § 60-258a, if an injured person is less than 50 percent at fault for an accident, they can be awarded damages adjusted to their percentage of fault. However, if they are 51 percent or more to blame for a truck crash, they cannot recover any compensation. Thus, proving the defendant holds a majority of fault for causing the wreck is essential to a plaintiff’s financial recovery.
A qualified truck crash lawyer in North Kansas City could help calculate the estimated award under either state’s legal statute.
A collision with a large commercial vehicle can flip your life upside down, leaving you with painful injuries, medical bills, and an inability to work. A civil case to collect compensation from the at-fault party could cover all your out-of-pocket losses and other damages, including pain and suffering.
Call a North Kansas City truck accident lawyer if you need help collecting monetary damages from the negligent party. Our dedicated team of attorneys at BG Law could advocate on your behalf and fight for the justice you need and deserve.
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