Goodyear Truck Accident Attorney
Arizona truck accidents are some of the most serious and dangerous accidents on the road. Tractor-trailer accidents involve 80,000 pounds of equipment smashing into your car at highway speeds, leaving you with life-threatening injuries. Personal injury claims for these accidents mean severe injuries, multiple liable parties, and potentially dozens of insurance claims.
Victims need experienced Goodyear truck accident attorneys like those from Wyatt Injury Law. We give you the personal attention and legal knowledge necessary to recover compensation after a serious accident. If you’ve been severely injured and need medical treatment, we will help you gather evidence for your claim and develop your case if it goes to trial.
The Goodyear truck accident lawyers at Wyatt Injury Law offer free case evaluations for your commercial truck accident claims. We’ll give you the personal care your case needs when you visit for our legal opinion. Call us at (602) 354-7346 or make an appointment to see our attorneys for a free consultation.
The Wyatt Injury Law Process: From Consultation to Resolution
Negotiating a semi-truck accident claim is a complex process. Once clients discuss their claims with our personal injury lawyers, we begin reviewing the facts in their cases. Unlike a car accident, multiple parties can be involved in commercial vehicle accidents.
Besides the other driver who was driving the truck, your accident may include other responsible parties, including:
- The trucking company
- The shipping company
- The owner or lessor of the trailer
- Maintenance companies
Because of the cost of maintaining large trucks and trailers and the expense of shipping things across the country, a shipping company may own trailers in one state and then contract with trucking companies to transport them. Depending on the cause of your accident, any of these companies could be partially at fault.
Wyatt Injury Law has extensive experience in multi-party vehicle accidents, so we know who to contact. We begin the legal process by determining the potential at-fault parties and contacting their insurance companies. The settlement process starts by identifying everyone who may be part of the negotiations.
The next step is gathering evidence that will support the request for compensation. In a big-rig accident, this means more than just collecting photos of the scene and the police report number. With multiple parties involved, we get witness statements that help establish fault in the case. We also notify the trucking company to preserve their electronic logging device data and driver logs.
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
Arizona laws and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require all commercial vehicles to carry an electronic logging device (ELD). This computer tracking system is similar to an airplane’s flight data recorder. Like a flight recorder, the ELD records everything the truck does while in operation. It also tracks routine maintenance, inspections, and the truck driver’s on- and off-duty hours.
The ELD data is critical for state and federal inspectors and investigators who want a clear understanding of events leading up to a collision. State and federal law require truck companies to provide ELD data upon request after any accident. The law also permits companies to delete the records every six months if no request has been made. Drivers must ask attorneys to obtain this critical data after any accident.
Resolving Your Claim
Once your claim information is complete, the insurance company must approve or deny your claim within a “reasonable” period of time. A “reasonable” period depends on the number of potential defendants, so a claim with multiple responsible parties can take longer. Wyatt Injury Law wants our clients to receive maximum compensation for their injuries, so we will negotiate with all parties to ensure you get a fair settlement from everyone involved.
Our attorneys will take your case to court if we can’t reach a settlement. We interview witnesses for details about the collision. If necessary, we hire accident reconstruction specialists to help the jury understand the causes and results of your accident. Our legal team does everything we can to ensure that the jury’s verdict will be as favorable as possible.
Common Causes and Outcomes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents have causes that can differ from ordinary auto accidents. Road maintenance can throw a big rig out of control. The height of a trailer makes underrides–a deadly situation where cars are swept under the wheels–a common occurrence.
Other frequent causes of truck accidents include:
- Driver fatigue due to inadequate rest breaks and sleep periods
- Mechanical failure and poor maintenance
- Poor driver training and lack of experience
- Improper loading and trailer failure
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), defective brakes accounted for the highest number of roadside inspection violations.
Potential Outcomes of Truck Accidents
The size and speed of a big rig mean a devastating impact when it hits your car. The injuries and damages from a commercial truck accident are the same kinds of injuries multiplied by the impact of an 80,000-pound truck.
Common injuries include:
- Neck, back, and spinal cord trauma
- Concussions and brain injuries
- Crush injuries, burns, and traumatic amputation
- Decapitation
- Wrongful death
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Victims may need months or years of medical care and supplemental wages. In some cases, the effects can last a lifetime. At Wyatt Injury Law, we want our clients to get compensation for all economic and non-economic damages.
Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys
Arizona’s statute of limitations puts a time limit on how long you have to file a claim after a truck accident. You only have two years after the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. It’s essential you contact an attorney before then to protect your legal rights and potential compensation.
At Wyatt Injury Law, we’ll contact the trucking company to freeze the ELD data within the time limit. Our Goodyear truck accident attorneys will help you get fair compensation for your truck accident case. We work on a contingency fee basis and will give you the legal help you need. Make an appointment or call (602) 354-7346 to discuss your personal injury case with the Goodyear team today.