Whether you were hurt in a truck crash caused by driver fatigue, vehicle issues, or reckless driving, we can track all hospital expenses from after the accident onward, calculate your missed income and possible future lost wages, and quantify the non-economic damages you have incurred.
Your lawsuit will start with the complaint we write and file in court. In this complaint, we must identify the person or persons liable for your injuries, like the truck driver and their employer, and explain the accident’s cause. We will also request relief for the damages you have incurred, and these amounts will go on to guide settlement negotiations or possible jury awards when cases go to trial.
Call (410) 694-7291 to discuss your case for free with the truck accident lawyers of Rice Law.
Common Truck Accident Scenarios in Beltsville
Truck accidents happen for many reasons, including driver fatigue, vehicle issues, and reckless driving. We will help you confirm the collision’s cause when initially preparing your lawsuit for compensation in Beltsville.
Accidents Due to Driver Fatigue
Though there are federal and state hours of service regulations regarding how many consecutive hours truckers can drive without breaks, truck accidents due to driver fatigue still occur and cause injury to passenger car drivers on the roads. Being drowsy or falling asleep behind the wheel is incredibly dangerous. Similar to drunk driving, drowsy driving reduces one’s reaction times and their ability to respond to situations and make good decisions. Drowsy drivers not off might veer into other lanes or oncoming traffic and cause multi-vehicle collisions with catastrophic consequences for everyone involved.
Accidents Due to Vehicle Issues
Improperly loading or securing cargo in a commercial truck could cause weight distribution issues, leading to vehicles toppling over when making turns or other maneuvers. Commercial trucking companies that do not regularly inspect vehicles to ensure they are safe or address reports of possible issues with vehicle systems could cause accidents irrespective of a driver’s actions. If the parts within the truck malfunction or unexpectedly break down due to manufacturer error, like faulty brake system design, then the manufacturer might be liable for any injuries or damages that come from an accident.
Accidents Due Reckless Driving
Even though they are on the clock and working when operating commercial trucks, truckers are drivers, just like anyone else on the road. They might become frustrated and speed, drive aggressively or recklessly, and endanger others. Ignoring another driver’s right of way, recklessly merging without using turn signals, failing to consider a truck’s much larger blind spots when turning or merging, and being aggressive or tailgating, passenger cars might also cause serious truck crashes in Beltsville.
Writing Truck Accident Complaints in Beltsville
The complaint we write and file with the court will initiate your lawsuit, so our attorneys will ensure it is accurate and complete, containing the necessary information about the liable party or parties, the accident, and your deserved compensation.
Identifying the Defendant or Defendants
One of the most important things about a complaint is naming the party or parties who you believe are liable for your injuries and damages. Even if a driver was reckless on their own, whether by speeding, driving aggressively, or tailgating, their employer might be responsible for their actions. If they were working at the time, this could potentially enable us to maximize the damages we seek in your lawsuit, as a settlement from a trucking company may be larger than a settlement with an individual driver.
Summarizing the Accident
Next, our truck accident lawyers will lay out your cause of action, or the reason you are filing the lawsuit. This will likely be based on negligence, meaning we must show that the defendant owed you a duty of care, which they breached, causing your injuries and damages. A duty of care is a responsibility to act in a certain manner and with respect for others’ safety, depending on the relationship. For example, truck drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and not go out of their way to endanger others on the road, such as by speeding or being tired behind the wheel. Trucking companies that hire drivers also owe a duty of care to people on the road to ensure that the vehicles are safe and in good working condition and that the truckers operating them are properly licensed and capable. After reading the accident report, talking to you about what you recall from the crash, interviewing eyewitnesses, and conferring with accident reconstruction experts, we can prepare a thorough complaint that properly outlines your cause of action, explains the accident, and summarizes the defendant or defendants’ liability.
Requesting Relief
A major aspect of writing a truck accident complaint is requesting relief from the damages the plaintiff has incurred. The purpose of the lawsuit is to make you whole again as best as possible – to essentially put you back in the position you were in before the accident by giving you monetary compensation. We will base our request for relief on the tangible and intangible damages we have identified when preparing your case. While many victims are most worried about having their medical expenses and lost wages covered, they must understand their non-economic damages are just as compensable. We will back up our requests for relief with proof of damages, whether in the form of concrete bills and invoices or corroborating statements from mental health experts who have evaluated you post-accident and assessed the mental and emotional consequences from the crash and the injuries you suffered. Requests for relief can guide settlement negotiations and help jurors understand victims’ losses when cases go to trial and juries award damages. If you were hurt by gross negligence, we may seek punitive damages as well.
Call Our Attorneys in Beltsville About Your Accident Case Today
Call (410) 694-7291 to get a free case evaluation from the truck accident lawyers of Rice Law.