Jordan, Herington & Rowley are Denver’s Truck Accident Lawyers
Colliding with a truck can result in serious and life-threatening injuries. In any collision, the larger and heavier vehicle asserts energy onto the smaller vehicle, while the smaller vehicle absorbs the impact. This is why smaller passenger vehicles and their occupants almost always sustain more damage than trucks and truck drivers in these accidents.
If you sustained injuries in a truck accident, contact Jordan, Herington & Rowley. You could be eligible for financial compensation. Call our Denver truck accident lawyers today for a free consultation at (303) 465-8733.
Why Choose Us for Your Case
- At our firm, clients come first. We care about the individuals we represent and work hard so victims and their families can obtain justice.
- We have decades of experience and a reputation for successful advocacy. You can count on us to represent you well for your truck accident case.
- When it comes to fighting for our clients, our Denver truck accident lawyers are a team on which you can count.
How our Denver Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help
Truck accidents often involve company liability for the actions of drivers. It is up to you to pursue financial recovery through a claim with the truck company’s insurer. Requesting help from an attorney can give you the resources and experience you need for a successful claim. Our truck accident lawyers at Jordan, Herington & Rowley has helped dozens of truck accident clients. We may be able to help you as well.
What Are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
It is the responsibility of all truck drivers to follow all industry rules and regulations, traffic laws, and operate their vehicles safely. However, not all truck drivers adhere to these standards — leading to devastating accidents. Many behaviors can lead to truck accidents, including the following.
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Driver fatigue. Especially if a truck driver drives for a longer period of time without rest than what the law requires.
- Engaging in distracted driving. This includes texting and driving, eating and driving, or reading a message while driving.
- Loading a truck’s cargo improperly.
- Speeding and overtaking smaller vehicles on the road.
- Failure to maintain the truck and experiencing a mechanical failure.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents
If you are in a truck accident, the injuries you suffer will likely be severe. The sheer size of trucks compared to cars means that a collision between these two types of vehicles is likely to result in severe property damage, injuries, and even death.
Common injuries in truck accidents include the following.
- Back and neck injuries, including damage to the spinal discs
- Traumatic brain injury and other head injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Lacerations, cuts, and bruises
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
While these injuries may have long-lasting effects, you have the right to claim compensation. Compensation for your treatment, property damage, and other expenses through a truck accident lawsuit or insurance claim.
Commercial Truck Accidents
Due to the dangerous nature of large commercial trucks, companies and operators in the trucking industry must take special care to prevent accidents. Trucking companies must inspect their fleets before trips and order repairs and maintenance as necessary. They must hire and train vigilant truck drivers. Also they may conduct drug and alcohol tests to make sure their drivers are responsible behind the wheel. Cargo loaders must adhere to strict federal rules for cargo securement.
Truck drivers have to obey state traffic laws. Also federal trucking industry rules when they clock in for work. This includes hours of service regulations, electronic logging device requirements, and any local truck-specific speed limits or lane restrictions. It is against the law in Colorado for commercial truck drivers to text and drive. Also driving with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.04% or higher. Breaking any of these laws can cause car accidents, injuries, and deaths.
Delivery Truck Accidents
Big rigs aren’t the only kinds of trucks threatening the lives of Colorado drivers. Delivery vehicles from USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon.com, and other mail carriers are also involved in collisions each year. Delivery workers are prone to distracted driving, as they have to read house numbers and packages while on the road. They require special training to drive on the opposite side of the vehicle. Delivery drivers might fail to yield to existing traffic, back into traffic after a delivery, make a sudden stop, or fail to notice stopped traffic. These are all examples of driver negligence that could result in lawsuits.
If a delivery driver causes your accident, you could have a claim against the company or the government depending on the employer. You could sue the company if the employee was performing job-related tasks at the time of the crash. For example, a flower delivery person must have been driving the truck for work and not for leisure for the company to bear liability. If the employee worked for the United States Postal Service or some other federal carrier, you might have a claim against the government. You have 180 days from the date of your crash to file a notice with a government agency for these types of claims.
Who Can You Sue in a Truck Accident Lawsuit?
Truck accident lawsuits can be complex. Depending on the nature of the accident and who the truck driver works for, you may need to name multiple parties in your lawsuit. As opposed to a regular car accident, truck accidents often involve litigation against the truck driver’s employer and their insurance companies, rather than the at-fault driver directly.
You can also file a truck accident lawsuit against the driver. More likely, you will hold the employer liable in your lawsuit. This may include government agencies and private companies. Speak to a Denver truck accident lawyer at Jordan, Herington & Rowley as soon as possible to discuss your case and determine who to name in your lawsuit.
What Are the Steps You Should Take After a Truck Accident?
The aftermath of a truck accident can feel overwhelming, but these moments are crucial for your future insurance claim or lawsuit. If you can do so safely, take the following steps immediately after the big rig accident to collect evidence, and seek help.
- Call 911. This will bring police and emergency medical services to the scene. Police reports and hospital records will be crucial pieces of evidence in your case. So ask the officer for his or her badge number so you can look up these records later.
- If it’s safe to do so, document the accident scene. Take pictures of all vehicles involved in the collision, your injuries, and license plates. In addition, photograph the area around the accident, including any traffic signs.
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you do not have any visible injuries. You may have damage that you are not aware of yet. Admitting you are unhurt at the scene may impact your case later.
- Collect contact information from the truck driver. Specifically information about his or her company and insurance. If there are any witnesses in the area, ask them if you could have their information so you can contact them about your future claim.
Free Consultation When You Call Our Denver Truck Accident Attorneys
Don’t wait any longer, call us today and schedule a free consultation with a Denver Personal Injury attorney.