Truck Accident Attorneys In Phoenix
Whether you are involved in an accident with a semi-truck, delivery truck, an 18-wheeler, or any other type of truck, serious injury is always a major concern ― especially when you consider how large these vehicles are. Fortunately, the injury attorneys at Harris, Powers & Cunningham assist clients throughout Arizona who have been involved in serious trucking accidents.
Helping Seriously Injured Victims Of Trucking Accidents
Our trucking accident lawyers will help you seek the compensation you deserve for your serious physical injuries, medical treatment and lost wages. We will also make sure the insurance company treats you fairly regarding your property damage claim, which might be significant in any accident involving a truck.
If you have been seriously injured in a truck crash, contact us today and schedule a FREE initial consultation. You can reach us at 602-910-6779 or email us online. Let us help you hold the truck driver and trucking company accountable for their actions.
Who Is Liable Following A Truck Accident?
Since commercial trucking is regulated, an accident involving a truck, a big rig or an 18-wheeler can be even more complex than another motor vehicle accident, such as a car crash. You might be able to sue not only the negligent truck driver, but also the trucking company and its insurer if your accident involved a commercial trucking vehicle.
We have the experience to handle a wide range trucking accidents, including those involving:
- Truck drivers who have been behind the wheel for too long, which leads to truck driver fatigue
- Truck drivers who speed, run red lights or otherwise drive negligently
- Truck drivers who choose to drive after drinking too much or using drugs
- Trucks that are poorly maintained, including situations that lead to brake failure
- Trucks that are overloaded
Did An Overweight Truck Cause Your Accident?
At Harris, Powers & Cunningham, we will leave no stone unturned when looking for the cause of the truck accident that left you injured. Finding out how the accident happened will give us the evidence we need to establish liability and secure the best possible compensation for you.
One of the avenues of investigation we will pursue is the overloading or improper loading of the accident-causing truck.
The Hazards Of Overloading A Semi Truck
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has laws regarding weight limits and load distributions for all semi trucks. Arizona has state-specific laws as well.
When trucks are loaded above regulatory weight limits, or if the cargo weight is not properly distributed in the trailer’s cargo space, the moving semi can become unstable. And instability can lead to jackknifing or rollovers. In addition, improper loading and overloading can hinder the truck’s ability to stop in a timely manner. These are all risk factors for serious accidents.
Unfortunately, these dangerous loading tactics are still being used by many companies. Sometimes the individual responsible for loading a truck is inexperienced or not properly trained. Other times, a truck/loading company will purposefully overload a truck in order to maximize profits. Regardless of the cause, if you were injured by this type of negligence, you have a rightful claim for a fair insurance settlement.
Fighting For Your Right To Compensation
Using highly skilled investigators and accident scene reconstructionists, our lawyers can determine if an improperly loaded truck was the cause of your accident, even when loading logs do not show the true story. After establishing liability, we will fight aggressively to secure a just settlement or verdict on your behalf. We understand that you need compensation to pay for medical bills, lost wages and suffering. Our firm’s two partners have nearly 50 years of combined legal experience and know what it takes to obtain results, in and out of the courtroom.
Brake Failure In A Truck Accident
Due to their sheer size and weight, semi trucks do not need to be going that fast in order to cause severe damage to any car and passengers that it hits. However, as the speed of the semi increases, so does the potential for catastrophe. This is why it is so essential for truck drivers and truck companies to perform regular brake inspections. Without properly functioning brakes, a semi truck is virtually a serious accident waiting to happen.
Truck Brake Malfunction And Improper Maintenance
We help individuals and families who have been severely injured in truck accidents due to truck brake failure. Our lawyers fight for rightful settlements to compensate for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
When you work with our law firm, we will investigate all potential causes of the brake failure, including:
- Failure to perform regular brake inspections
- Improper brake inspection
- Truck driver not trained properly to perform brake inspection
- Failure to stop on interstate pullout for required brake inspection
- Brakes out of adjustment
- Failure to replace faulty brakes
With a sole focus on personal injury law, our attorneys know exactly where to look for evidence of brake failure and negligence. Truck drivers are required to keep logbooks of brake inspection, so this is among the first evidence we will fight to secure. We also check into the training of drivers and anyone else at the truck company who was responsible for brake inspections. In addition, we investigate the age of the brakes and the mileage driven with the brake system. When there is negligence, we will find it.
Truck Accidents Caused By Speeding
It is simple physics. The heavier a motor vehicle is, (such as a semi truck) the longer it will take to stop. When you add excessive speed to this equation, the amount of time needed for a complete stop increases. So whether there are adverse weather conditions, sudden stops in traffic, or reckless lane changes, a speeding truck driver is a real risk for causing a serious accident.
Trusted Experience In Truck Accident Cases
If you were injured due to a speeding truck driver, the law is on your side. But it is important to work with an experienced lawyer who understands how to fully use the law to your benefit.
At Harris Powers & Cunningham, personal injury is all that we do — all day and every day. Our lawyers have been named among the Best Lawyers In America and have earned the prestigious AV rating* from Martindale-Hubbell for their legal knowledge, skill and track record of results. We are also members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum due to the high-value settlements and verdicts we have obtained for past clients.
Proving A Trucking Accident Is Speed-Related
Our lawyers understand how to approach any type of truck accident case, including when allegations of speeding are on the table. We work with leading accident scene reconstructionists to prove how fast the truck was going. These highly skilled engineers can conclusively state the speed of a truck before an accident by looking at things such as placement of skid marks and location of accident debris.
Quantifying Your Compensation Demand
But proving liability is only half of the legal battle. After we establish speed and fault, our lawyers are equipped to deal with the numerous levels of insurance and multiple liable parties. We are also skilled in working with medical specialists to prove the extent of your injuries and can fairly quantify the cost of medical care, lost wages and the suffering you have endured.
When Truck Driver Fatigue Causes Accidents
It is important to realize that there are federal regulations in place that limit the amount of time truck drivers are to spend behind the wheel. These laws, called “hours of service” hours forbid drivers from exceeding:
- 11 or more hours in a consecutive 14-hour period following 10 consecutive off-duty hours
- More than 14 hours of driving in a 24-hour period
- Logging more than 60 hours in a seven-day consecutive period
- Logging more than 70 hours in an eight-day consecutive period
There is an obvious reason these regulations are put in place; driving while exhausted is extremely dangerous — even more so when the vehicle is large and is fully stocked. Unfortunately, drivers are paid by mileage, so there is a built-in incentive to drive through periods of exhaustion.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, it is important to determine whether or not fatigue played a role in the crash. With more than 30 years of personal injury experience, we are prepared to immediately investigate whether driver fatigue was involved.
Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers
Because we have obtained tens of millions of dollars for clients in some of the state’s most serious and complex auto accident cases, there is no truck driver accident injury for which we are not prepared. We are ready and willing to take the approach that has helped our clients reach success to your case.
Accidents Caused By Trucker Drug Use
Just as with any motorist, it is illegal for a truck driver to operate a tractor-trailer under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There is simply no excuse and no defense for a truck driver who does. Truck accidents are many times more likely to occur when a driver is intoxicated. Due to the size and weight of a big rig, when accidents do happen, the resulting injuries tend to be catastrophic.
If Truck Driver Drug Use Caused Your Accident, We Must Act Immediately To Secure Evidence
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires prompt drug/alcohol tests for any truck driver involved in a serious accident. However, without a legal advocate for the plaintiff, these important tests can be delayed, causing valuable evidence to be lost.
That is why if you were injured in a truck accident, it is vital for you or a family member to contact an attorney right away. When you work with the lawyers at Harris, Powers & Cunningham, we will ensure the accident-causing truck driver submits to a drug and alcohol test within the required statutory time frame and before any substances disappear from the driver’s system.
Justice For Accident Victims Of Truck Driver Drug Abuse
In the event we cannot secure positive drug or alcohol results due to a delay in you contacting our office, we still have options. Our lawyers dig deep into the recent and long-term history of the driver. We fight to secure medical records, receipts showing alcohol purchase, and/or witness testimony as to drug abuse. If narcotics were involved in the accident, we will do everything in our power to prove it.
There are a wide range of reasons that a truck driver may operate a semi under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and our lawyers can address them all, including:
- A substance or alcohol abuse problem
- Taking painkillers for back pain
- Using an illegal stimulant to stay awake on long drives
- Ignoring the ability-to-drive warnings of prescription or over-the-counter medication
Free Initial Consultation For Your Truck Accident Claim
Have you been seriously injured in a trucking accident in Phoenix or anywhere else in Arizona? Our truck accident lawyers will make sure you receive the guidance, protection and compensation that you deserve. Don’t wait; contact us today. Call 602-910-6779 or email us online.