AL Trucking Accident Lawyers Attorneys
Do Not Lose Twice
Birmingham | Huntsville | Mobile | Montgomery
When an auto is involved with a truck in an accident, one outcome is for sure: the auto loses. If you do not select Gordon & Elias as your truck accident lawyers, you could lose twice. Hiring dedicated truck accident attorneys may mean the difference of receiving tens of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars. Simply put, if you hire just any lawyers and not a truck accident law firm, you may be making a serious mistake.
You do not have to retain a firm in Alabama if the accident occurs in Alabama. You need to retain a firm that specializes in truck accidents. Often times, firms from other states, such as ours, are retained because of their experience and knowledge. Many times, though the injured auto occupants may live in Alabama, the truck company is from a state other than Alabama. You need truck accident attorneys that do the following:
- You will speak to an attorney not an aswering service
- Send out an investigator to obtain photos and make measurements and, if forensic work is necessary, send out a trucking accident reconstructionist
- File any necessary equitable relief, e.g., writs of sequestration, pleadings to protect the truck from any repairs that would alter the evidence
- Get you to Board Certified Physicians to make sure that you receive the best medical care possible for your injuries
- File your suit as soon as possible and aggressively fight for your rights taking depositions, sending out discovery and building your legal case
- Where ethically permitted, advancing you monies, interest free, to pay for necessary expenses since your income is stopped due to an inability to work
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, treating you like family instead of just a client. We know full well what a severe disabling and permanent injury, or worse yet, the death of a loved family member means to you. We find that some law firms around the country have lost their way and often times forget that they are representing a person, and not just a paper file. We pledge to you that you will always be able to call us and ask whatever you want and get a full explanation. Please do not misunderstand, we like to make money as much as the next guy but, we know that if we work hard and do a good job, always with compassion for our client, the money will follow.
As the shock sets in following a truck accident, questions arise. Those questions revolve around your physical condition and ability to recover. Mainly, you just want to know what happened.
That is where we come in to help. At Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., we provide advocacy for Alabama clients and get to the facts involving an 18-wheeler crash caused by:
- Rear-End, Head-On Crashes and Jackknives
- Poor Maintenance, including Tires and Brakes
- Driver Fatigue
- Unsecured Loads or Cargo
- Aggressive Driving
- DWI / Drug Use
- Lack of Reflectors and Poor Visibility
- Dangerous Roadways
If you have been injured in a truck wreck that occurred in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery or anywhere throughout Alabama, contact us toll free at 800-773-6770. The phone is answered by a lawyer 24/7/365.
Holding Drivers and Trucking Companies Accountable for Trucking Collisions
Truck drivers work long hours and are often pressured by their employer to complete their tasks by any means necessary. That results in shortcuts that can amount to negligence. Drivers are required to adhere to regulations involving time on the road, number of breaks, and weight of the load they carry. Under the law, a trucking company can, and should, be held liable for the negligence of its drivers.
Experience and Resources to Mediate or Litigate Your Trucking Accident Claim
We use experience and thorough legal knowledge, coupled with vast resources, to build your tractor-trailer crash injury claim based on the facts. Expertise comes from our network of trucking industry experts and accident reconstructionists. From there, we seek the best resolution, through negotiation, mediation or litigation.
Catastrophic Injuries When Safety Was Not a Priority
Before getting into the truck cab, a long haul driver is required to perform a pre-trip inspection so that when a truck driver turns the ignition key, they are doing so with the notion that everything is safe. The pre-trip inspection is to detect problems before the rig gets on the street. There needs to be periodic brake checks, including caliper settings, hydraulic, pneumatic and air brakes, adequate sleep and rest time in accordance with federal laws, and a trailer load that is properly secured, loaded and manageable. If they fall short, each and every car they pass is at risk of a collision. Every driver could suffer injury or death. These requirements apply to all interstate drivers and the failure to do any of these things often results in negligent driving and is often the cause of a truck accident resulting in serious injury or death. It does not matter what kind of truck as these requirements can apply to:
- Tanker Trucks - Oilfield Trucks- Pipe Haulers- Chemical Trucks and other trucks with trailers carrying hazardous materials (HAZMAT)
- Slow Moving - Log Trucks, Garbage Trucks, Dump Trucks, Cement Trucks, Gravel Trucks and Construction Zone Trucks entering and exiting a highway construction zone, Wide-Load Convoys, Bulldozers, Farm Equipment and slow moving Paving Equipment
- Freight Liners, UPS, DHL, Fed-Ex, U-Haul, Mayflower and other van lines and delivery company trucks
- Shuttle Bus, Casino Buses en route to Biloxi or Mississppi casinos such as Beau Rivage, Hollywood, Isle of Capri, Silver Star, Gold Strike, Harrah's, Horseshoe, Sheraton and Fitzgerald's. Other busses include: Vacation Bus, Tour Bus, Greyhound Buses and other Chartered Buses
- Most all other 18-wheeler, Big-Rig, Flatbeds, Tractor/Trailer combinations
Commercial Trucks Not Large In Size But With A Large Insurance Policy
The difference in size of cash settlements in commercial truck cases are potentially much larger than auto to auto accidents generally for two reasons: the destruction of the automobile and the size of the insurance policy involved. You know that your personal auto policy is sometimes as low as the Alabama state mandatory minimum limits of $25,000.00. When there is a commercial vehicle, such as a company van, company pick-up, tow trucks, etc., the policies of insurance coverage are usually much larger and you can be fairly and fully compensated when the driver is negligent.
Shortcuts That Only Lead to Tragic Truck Accidents
The complexity of a truck driver's job is not a free pass to take shortcuts. They are suppose to be expert drivers and Federal laws exist for a reason. The operator of a tractor-trailer must recognize that ignoring or violating those laws can lead to serious accidents causing injury and even death. Breaks must be taken and the temptation to consume alcohol and drugs must be resisted. Sadly, that doesn't always happen, raising the need for aggressive representation.
Contact us if you have been injured in a truck accident while driving on I-10, I-85, I-65, Hwy 80, Hwy 231, I-59, I-20, I-459, Hwy 78, Hwy 82 or Hwy 72.
No-Risk Legal Representation On Your Behalf
At Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., we represent Alabama residents on a contingency basis, meaning no initial, out-of-pocket fees to you. We combine our experience with the expertise of industry professionals to build your case based on the facts. From there, we focus on the best resolution to maximize your compensation.
We Have A National Network of Competent Truck Accident Lawyers
At times, we need a local Alabama law firm to assist us perform various functions. In light of this, we have already put in place an arrangement with Alabama-based competent counsel that we have already vetted and that we can call on in a moment's notice and at no additional fee charge to you.
Contact Us
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced personal injury lawyer following a collision with an 18-wheel truck, please contact us.
Trucking Companies frequently seen on Alabama roads:
|
|