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Side-impact truck accidents are among the deadliest to motorists because only a car door assembly separates you from the encroaching 80,000 pounds of steel. Surviving such a crash means lengthy and expensive medical treatment your family may not be able to afford. Missing work and your paycheck can make matters worse.
Side-impact collisions—commonly called T-bone or broadside accidents—can happen at high speed on U.S. Highway 27, in a parking lot, or at a stop sign after a commercial rig blows through it and into the side of your car. If a negligent truck driver slams into your car, contact an aggressive 18-wheeler crash attorney familiar with side-impact truck accidents in Red Bank.
Some trucking companies have been known to offer truck drivers bonuses or other perks to break the federal rules limiting the number of hours drivers can spend on the road. Delivering cargo early is profitable because the next load is transported sooner than expected. Too often, truckers enticed by the extra money will drive when they are exhausted and dangerous on the road, or they take supplements to keep them awake. Other side-impact truck wreck scenarios in Red Bank include:
About 10,000 people are killed in side-impact semi-truck crashes each year, which does not account for the thousands more injured. The misery spread by a moment of negligence by the trucker is heartbreaking. Impacted parties should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to study evidence, including the trucker’s log and the truck’s black box, to piece together a claim for compensation after a broadside accident.
Even if a trucker acts negligently, the trucking company may also be liable if the driver followed orders, for instance, driving more hours than allowed to deliver cargo early, or if the driver was not trained or appropriately vetted. The manufacturer of parts that fail and contribute to the crash may also be liable to pay.
Parties are negligent when they breach duties to others, causing an accident in which someone is injured. A truck driver has a duty to drive safely. A trucking company has a duty to ensure the driver is qualified. The manufacturer has a duty to ensure parts do not malfunction because of poor design or a mistake during manufacturing.
A skilled tractor-trailer collision attorney could negotiate with the trucking company’s insurer. All trucking companies that dispatch trucks over state lines must carry a minimum of liability insurance under federal law. If insurance is not enough to cover what an injured party has lost, a lawsuit based on negligence can be filed after a broadside truck accident.
Plaintiffs in side-impact 18-wheeler accidents in Red Bank can be awarded economic damages for calculable losses—such as wages and medical bills—and non-economic losses—such as emotional trauma, recurring pain, and disfigurement. A dedicated attorney will fight for maximum compensation on behalf of an injured party following a truck accident.
Tennessee Code Ann. § 29-39-104 permits a plaintiff to ask for punitive damages if the defendant was malicious or acted intentionally or with extreme recklessness.
Tennessee usually caps punitive damages at twice compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is more. If a truck driver destroys evidence, such as logs and the black box, to evade a lawsuit, or is impaired at the time of the accident, the cap could be lifted.
There is a good chance if your vehicle is broadsided by a commercial truck, the trucker was negligent. Although by federal law, liability insurance settlements are available, the amount of coverage may not be enough to compensate you for the devastating losses you incur in this type of accident. Let a seasoned legal professional help. A capable injury attorney in Red Bank will consider the driver, trucking company, and parts manufacturer when determining suitable defendants that caused your injuries.
Our lawyers are dedicated to helping you put your life back together after a catastrophic T-bone accident. Call us to discuss the particulars of your situation and learn what we can do for you after side-impact truck accidents in Red Bank.