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If you or a loved one have been involved in a large truck accident in Arlington County, or the surrounding areas in Virginia, you have likely not only suffered serious injury and emotional distress, but are now facing financial hardship from medical expenses, lost income, and more. At Regan Zambri Long, we fight for truck accident victims in Arlington who need help securing the compensation needed to recover from their losses.
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While you never have to hire a law firm to represent you in an Arlington, VA truck accident claim, there are benefits to doing so. An Arlington, Virginia truck accident lawyer from Regan Zambri Long can help you by:
In addition, a truck accident attorney can handle all communications on your behalf so you can focus on recovery and moving forward. Below are some of our recent case verdict and settlements.
If you or a loved one is injured in a truck accident in Arlington, VA, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses. So long as you do not share in any of the blame, you may be able to recoup losses for economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Economic damages are the easiest to calculate and include things like current and future financial costs associated with the accident. This may be:
Non-economic damages can be harder to calculate. This may include losses for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and psychological traumas which can all be claimed as non-economic damages.
In some rare cases, punitive damages can be awarded in car and truck accident cases. However, if it can be proven that the truck driver engaged in willful and/or malicious behavior, these awards may be given.
There are a variety of parties who may be held liable for a truck accident in Arlington, VA. Entities that may be held at fault in a truck accident include:
Once it is determined who is responsible for the collision, the victim may begin to collect compensation for the following:
However, it is important to know that if the victim is even one percent at-fault for the collision, they may forgo their rights to recover compensation. This is because of Virginia’s contributory negligence law.
There are a variety of reasons why a truck accident may occur. However, because of the heavy traffic patterns in Arlington, specifically the mile-long stretch on Interstate 395, between Washington Boulevard and the George Washington Memorial Parkway, there is an increase in bottlenecks and other traffic nightmares that commuters are all too familiar with.
When you add in the added dangers of large trucks versus passenger vehicles, these accidents can be catastrophic. Common causes of truck accidents in Arlington include:
There are a variety of truck accidents that drivers in Arlington, VA may find themselves entangled in. They include:
Rollover truck accidents occur when there is a shifting of cargo or when a truck driver tries to maneuver the truck too quickly around a curve. These types of truck accidents are considered the most catastrophic as the truck driver is at risk, and any passenger vehicles following behind or oncoming to the truck.
These accidents can result from a truck driver not maneuvering the semi-truck appropriately, the driver being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, etc. However, in some cases, these accidents may result in a mechanical failure on the truck that even the most seasoned driver could not account for.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions can be dangerous as well. If it is the passenger car behind the truck that collides with the back of the truck, the passenger vehicle runs the risk of being lodged beneath the truck, or worse completely smashed into the front side, which depending on the speed at which both vehicles were traveling–it can be fatal.
In the case where a truck collides with the back end of a passenger vehicle, these too can be catastrophic as the car will face serious damage from behind and likely collide with other vehicles.
Head-on truck accidents are often fatal and occur when a truck and another vehicle collide while moving in opposite directions. These accidents are most often the result of a truck driver losing control of the truck, driver fatigue, or reckless driving.
In some cases, head-on collisions may happen at red lights, stop signs, or intersections when right-of-way rules are not followed.
A jackknife accident occurs when a tractor-trailer cargo trailer swings out, making it perpendicular to the tractor. These crashes often cause multi-car accidents which can lead to multiple fatalities.
These collisions often result from a truck driver braking improperly or having encountered inclement weather. Similarly, these accidents can result from a truck driver turning a full load too quickly.
T-Bone accidents or sideswipe accidents are most common at intersections where large trucks going through intersections may run a red light or ignore a stop sign which means a driver who otherwise has the right-of-way collides to the side, creating a T. These accidents are most fatal for drivers on the side of the vehicle that takes the most impact.
T-bone accidents can often be the result of reckless driving by a trucker, intoxication, etc.
Wide-turn accidents may result from a truck driver taking a right-hand turn without using caution. In general, the truck driver will need to swing wide for a right-hand turn, but unfortunately, if there are drivers in the neighboring lane they are collided with. In some cases, these cars may even become lodged beneath the trailer.
Our team has a combined 100 years of experience when it comes to personal injury law, and we will take our legal finesse and trial experience to ensure you get the compensation you need to move forward. We have helped truck accident victims and their families secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for their truck accident injuries, losses, and emotional suffering and we can do the same for you.
For a no-obligation, free consultation with the Arlington, VA truck accident lawyers of Regan Zambri Long, call us today at 202-960-4596 or connect with us online. Our lawyers firmly believe that financial limitations should not stop you from seeking the legal recourse needed to bring justice to your loved ones. Because of that, we work on a contingency fee basis so you pay nothing upfront, and instead, our law firm will collect a percentage of your award once the case or claim is closed.
Truck accidents can be life-altering. Don’t handle it alone. Contact Regan Zambri Long today.
According to 2020 Virginia crash data, there were a total of 4,296 crashes involving commercial vehicles in Virginia and a total of 2,356 crashes involving large trucks. When you consider the size difference between large trucks and commercial vehicles and those of standard passenger vehicles, it’s no wonder that truck accident victims suffer so gravely. But at Regan Zambri Long, we make sure you do not have to face these hardships alone. For a consultation with an Arlington, VA truck accident lawyer, contact us at 202-960-4596.
While we know the common causes of truck accidents, there is often a catalyst that truly propels these accidents forward. Truck accidents may occur because of one or more of the following issues.
Driver error is one of the leading causes of automobile accidents nationwide. When you put a semi-truck against a standard passenger vehicle, even the most common of traffic violations can turn fatal. Be it improperly changing lanes, blind spots, or not following traffic laws, driver error can be just as serious and catastrophic as driving under the influence.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration creates the rules and regulations which dictate the number of hours a driver may be behind the wheel. However, when unrealistic goals are placed on drivers to complete deliveries, they may feel pressured to work outside of the hours they are permitted, resulting in driving while too tired to make careful and calculated decisions.
In 2019, there were 986,000 distracted driving car accidents resulting in almost 3,000 deaths on US roads. When you consider the differences between driving a small passenger vehicle and a semi-truck, it’s understandable that these accidents can become fatal when a driver makes a wrong call.
Examples of distracted truck driving include:
Truck drivers are not to drink within four hours before they must start duty. And, before they can begin a run, their maximum blood alcohol level cannot exceed 0.04%.
However, alcohol is not the only substance truck drivers need to be mindful of. Drivers who utilize medications for health conditions must also be mindful of any reactions they may have such as fatigue, drowsiness, or other ailments.
Further, illegal drugs can also impact a driver’s ability to safely drive.
Sometimes a truck accident may not have anything to do with the driver’s ability to maneuver a vehicle. In cases where a truck experiences mechanical failure, even the most trained driver may not be able to avoid an accident if their vehicle fails them
Common mechanical failures include:
Not only do we expect truck drivers to know how to do their jobs well, but we also hope the crews responsible for loading these trucks know how to do so safely and securely–especially when transporting hazardous materials.
Unfortunately, loading issues can be just as catastrophic as other driving issues. When cargo trailers are improperly loaded, the weight distribution can cause the truck to veer into opposing lanes, cause trucks to flip, or collide with other vehicles.
To earn a commercial driver’s license (CDL), drivers must complete the following:
The training may often take 20 weeks of job training and cover:
Because of the intricacies of Virginia truck accidents and negligence laws, it is important to have a law firm on your side that can help you throughout the legal process. Truck accidents can have catastrophic consequences not just for the victim, but for the family and friends.
At Regan Zambri Long, we work diligently to protect truck accident victims in Arlington, VA, and the surrounding areas who have been hurt by negligent truck drivers, unlawful trucking practices, and other parties who have caused harm to others.
