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Accidents with 18-wheelers are severely devastating due to the sheer mass and size of these trucks. Collisions involving 18-wheelers typically lead to severe damages, including serious injuries and damages.
Furthermore, such accidents are commonly deadly. If you or your loved one has been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler in Galveston or surrounding areas, a Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is here to support you.
What Is a Galveston, Texas, 18-Wheeler Accident?
An 18-wheeler accident in Galveston and surrounding areas is an accident with a motor vehicle known as an 18-wheeler. Because 18-wheelers are massive, it takes a long amount of time to completely brake or maneuver the vehicle, making them more prone to serious accidents.
Truck companies and drivers must follow strict rules and regulations with respect to keeping their vehicles maintained, driving at certain hours, and loading cargo. However, unfortunately, these tragic accidents still continue to happen. When 18-wheeler accidents occur, they typically lead to severe injuries and even death.
Understanding Compensation for an 18-Wheeler Accident
Compensation amounts associated with 18-wheeler accidents tend to be higher than those of car accidents due to the severity of damages associated with the high collision impacts. An experienced and compassionate Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner can work closely with you, helping you fight for compensation to receive coverage for the following:
- Medical costs. Whether you or your loved one has suffered from a traumatic brain injury or a fractured spinal column, our dedicated legal team can help you procure adequate financial resources to cover the extent of the associated healthcare. We will fight to ensure that not only your previous expenses get covered, but also that your compensation settlement covers anticipated future costs as well.
- Lost income. If you or your loved one has been out of work for a temporary period due to an inability to work because of injury, you can be compensated for lost wages that you would have made had you been working. Furthermore, you can receive compensation for benefits that you and your family would have otherwise received.
- Lost earning potential. If a permanent impairment was suffered due to injuries from an 18-wheeler accident, victims could be compensated for the loss of income-earning potential. Individuals with higher incomes prior to their accident, such as engineers and surgeons, can expect to earn greater settlement amounts for their lost earning potential.
- New accommodations. Many 18-wheeler accident victims suffer serious long-term and permanent impairments that can completely transform their lifestyle. Whether you and your family now require an installation of wheelchair ramps, walk-in baths, or additional at-home services to provide assistance with everyday tasks, a dedicated lawyer from our team can help you get compensation to cover these fees.
- Survival action. If you have lost a loved one in an 18-wheeler crash, an experienced lawyer from our team can help you get compensation on the deceased’s behalf. Whether your loved one had mounting hospital bills up to the time of their death or if they had emotional suffering in the final hours of their life, we could help you receive substantial compensation that reflects all they have lost.
- Wrongful death. If you lost a loved one due to the wrongful or negligent actions of one or more parties that led to the 18-wheeler crash, you may likely be entitled to compensation for a wrongful death case. A compassionate lawyer from our firm can help you get compensation to cover the funeral and burial expenses, as well as other critical non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of companionship.
While it is impossible to win a settlement that can amount to the physical and emotional pain you and your family can experience as a result of an 18-wheeler accident, an experienced lawyer from our firm can work to help you win a settlement that is fair and just.
Can I Sue if My Loved One Has Been Hit by an 18-Wheeler in Galveston, Texas?
If your loved one has been involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler in Galveston, TX or surrounding areas, whether they can sue is dependent on multiple factors, such as the various parties involved, proof of negligent action, and the particular statute of limitations. An experienced Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner can help you understand the following to see whether you can pursue litigation:
- The various parties involved. Parties that could be held potentially liable for the 18-wheeler accident include the trucking company, the truck driver, parts manufacturers, maintenance companies, and the individuals who loaded the cargo. A lawyer from our firm can understand the various parties involved and the cause of the incident and understand who you may be able to hold liable for the crash.
- The available evidence. To prove the negligence of one or more parties, you will need to provide sufficient evidence that there was a duty of care, the duty was breached, and that this duty breach led to the accident and subsequent damages you or your loved one suffered. If there is sufficient evidence to show this, such as video footage or accident reports, you may be able to file a lawsuit and win compensation.
- The statute of limitations. In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is typically two years after the date of injury. If you do not file within this specific period, you may lose your right to pursue compensation for subsequent damages.
As personal injury litigation is complex, especially after severe accidents like 18-wheeler accidents, it is critical to work with an experienced attorney. They can help you understand the various factors involved in your case and how this can contribute to your ability to pursue litigation and ultimately win compensation.
What Causes 18-Wheeler Accidents?
There can be multiple different causes at play in an 18-wheeler accident. However, unfortunately, the majority of such factors are typically preventable. A compassionate and experienced Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner can look into the cause of your crash to determine the parties who are at fault and build up a robust case. Common causes of 18-wheeler crashes include the following:
- Cargo that is inadequately loaded. Companies and their employees are required to properly load and secure cargo. They also have limits on the amount of cargo that they can carry.
These restrictions are in place to ensure that the 18-wheeler does not become unbalanced, which can cause a loss of control of the vehicle or a rollover. Too much cargo can also put excessive strain on the braking and maneuvering system of trucks, increasing the risk of failure.
- Reckless truck drivers. Truck drivers must be extra vigilant due to the precariousness of maneuvering and stopping such large vehicles. When truck drivers operating these vehicles carry out reckless behavior like swiftly changing lanes, driving aggressively, or tailgating other vehicles, they run the risk of causing an accident.
- Tired truck drivers. According to Texas and federal law, truck drivers are required to take certain breaks without driving long distances for too long. However, truck drivers are often assigned problematic assignments, necessitating the need to run the risk of driving without adequately resting. Tire truck drivers are slower to react, have more impairments of their judgment, and can even fall asleep while driving, leading to serious crashes.
- Distracted truck drivers. As truck drivers are required to keep their attention for long periods of time on the road, they can become prone to distractions.
Common distractions that truck drivers are engaged in include talking on the phone, looking at navigation, responding to texts, eating, and talking on the radio to other drivers. Even a split-second moment of distraction can run the risk of a crash, as maneuvering 18-wheelers is extremely difficult and requires concentration.
- Poor weather conditions. If the weather conditions are not conducive to driving, such as fog, high winds, or pouring rain, it can be hard for truck drivers to adequately see or control their vehicles. Although trucking companies and truck drivers cannot control the weather, they can control their driving behaviors, allowing them to exercise caution in extreme weather conditions.
- Truck part failure. Under federal and state law, 18-wheelers are commonly required to have inspections to ensure that all parts are working properly and that the truck is safe to operate.
Truck parts such as tires, brakes, or motors can fail due to poor design, manufacturing, or maintenance, ultimately causing severe crashes. Such cases commonly involve multiple parties, like truck part manufacturers and maintenance companies, which can be held accountable.
There are various factors that go into the causation of a truck accident, all of which interplay to reflect who the liable parties are. An experienced Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner can investigate your case to determine what went wrong that caused your 18-wheeler crash. In addition to identifying the causes, we can determine who was liable and hold them accountable for their action or inaction.
What Injuries Are Commonly Suffered After 18-Wheeler Accidents?
Due to the sheer size and mass of 18-wheelers, injuries from crashes involving these vehicles tend to be more severe than car accidents. The dedicated legal team at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner has helped countless clients receive financial compensation to cover non-economic and economic costs associated with the following common injuries:
- Spinal cord injuries. An 18-wheeler accident can severely damage certain parts of the spinal cord, ultimately causing partial or complete paralysis. Clients with spinal cord injuries tend to have greater compensation amounts, as such injuries are associated with long-term significant costs, such as mental and physical rehabilitation, home retrofitting for disabilities, and ongoing medical care.
- Brain injuries. Brain injuries tend to be commonly seen in accidents involving 18-wheelers, with an increased risk of severity being associated with high-speed crashes. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to permanent mental and physical disabilities, ultimately having a profound impact on the accident victim’s ability to work and carry out daily tasks.
- Internal injuries. Internal injuries include internal bleeding, organ damage, and any type of injury that threatens the internal structure of the body. Such injuries, if not treated, can be severe or even fatal. Although such injuries may not be noticeable directly after the accident, they can surface later on and become life-threatening.
- Fractures. 18-wheeler crashes come with high impact that can easily break or crush bones, such as collarbones, wrists, skulls, and jaws. Fractures from these types of incidents tend to be highly complex, necessitating multiple surgeries. Furthermore, such fractures can lead to the need for intensive and long-term physical therapy to be able to properly use the body part again.
Many 18-wheeler accidents can lead to injuries that are ultimately fatal. Whether your loved one died immediately on impact after an 18-wheeler crash or suffered for weeks or even months before their death in a hospital, a Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is here to help you hold the right people accountable. Together, we can help you pursue compensation on behalf of your loved one and your family.
Get Compensation for Your Damages With a Galveston 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer
As 18-wheeler accidents can be genuinely devastating, leading to severe and long-term emotional and physical damages, it is critical to recover adequate compensation for all you have lost.
A Galveston 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is ready to work closely with you to understand the details of your case, actively address your questions and concerns, and develop and implement a sound legal strategy to pursue compensation. Contact us today.
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