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When you are involved in a trucking accident, a DC big rig truck accident lawyer can help. You probably have many concerns. How will you pay for your medical bills? Will your injuries result in lifelong health problems? Will you be able to provide for your family if you cannot work? How will you get to work if your car was damaged? How can you take the time you need to get well if you aren't working?
The truck accident attorneys of Regan Zambri Long can answer all your questions and explain your options following a truck accident. Call us at (202) 960-4596 for your free consultation.
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If you were injured in a big rig truck accident, the attorneys at Regan Zambri Long PLLC can help you take legal action. Below are a sample of some of the verdicts and settlements we have achieved on behalf of our clients.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), commercial truck drivers are involved in about 120,000-160,000 crashes each year in the U.S. These accidents cause catastrophic injuries to thousands of people, especially those in smaller passenger vehicles. Drivers and passengers in other motor vehicles are four times more likely to be severely injured or killed than drivers of large commercial vehicles when a truck and another vehicle collide. Seventy-one percent of those killed in truck crashes were in other, smaller vehicles.
Because big rig trucks are so much larger and heavier than other vehicles, the injuries and property damage they cause are worse than in a typical car accident. If a commercial truck driver operates his vehicle in violation of traffic and safety rules and causes a commercial truck accident, the truck accident injuries will likely be serious. In addition, your car is likely to be severely damaged. If a pedestrian or a motorcyclist are truck accident victims, the risk of fatal injury and death is very high.
Unfortunately, many people are killed in accidents with large trucks. In Virginia, over 9% of commercial trucks on the road were involved in a fatal crash in 2019. In Maryland, nearly 8% of large trucks caused a fatal accident.
If your family member was killed in a trucking accident, the experienced truck accident lawyers of Regan Zambri Long can help you file a wrongful death claim against the driver or company. Call an experienced truck accident attorney today at (202) 960-4596 to schedule your free case evaluation.
Many tractor-trailer accidents are fatal to a truck accident victim in a passenger car. Smaller cars, and even SUVs, are no match for the size and weight of a large commercial vehicle. In fact, according to the NHTSA, drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles are four times more likely to be severely injured or killed than most drivers of commercial trucks. Most truck accidents are preventable. The most common causes are:
IMPROPER LOADING
When a load isn’t properly balanced or secured, it can cause items to shift in the truck. This creates a risk of a rollover, in particular when a tractor-trailer is making a turn. The same is true if the truck is overloaded, causing the truck to be too top-heavy and affecting vehicle stability. For trucks transporting liquids, the center of gravity can shift dramatically as liquids move as the vehicle turns.
If a big rig rolls over or is involved in a semi-truck crash, falling cargo can injure other drivers. For trucks carrying hazardous cargo, especially hazardous liquids and gases, a semi-truck rollover or accident can cause serious injuries and medical problems caused by these hazards.
TRUCK MAINTENANCE
If a large commercial vehicle is not maintained and serviced properly, it can cause a tractor-trailer accident. Two common maintenance issues that cause motor vehicle accidents are low tire pressure and worn brakes.
TRUCK DRIVER ACTIONS
The way drivers operate their tractor trailers and the things they do or don’t do while driving can cause a serious trucking accident. For example, if drivers accelerate or brake too quickly, the truck’s cargo can shift and cause a rollover or other accidents. When truck drivers drive faster than posted speed limits, especially in poor weather conditions like rain or snow, a truck can roll over or slide while turning.
There are reckless or negligent truck driver actions that can cause an accident. Examples are texting while driving, fatigue and falling asleep, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
If the accident is caused by improper loading, it could be the responsibility of the trucking company or the shipper who loaded the truck. It could also be the driver’s fault as he is also responsible for ensuring the cargo is secure.
If the accident is the result of the truck driver’s recklessness, such as driving at high speeds or falling asleep, the at-fault party will be the driver himself. Large trucking companies may also be held responsible if, for example, they required their driver to work longer hours than is allowed under federal and state laws. The company can also be responsible if they did not properly train their drivers on how to safely operate the truck.
When improper maintenance is one of the causes of an accident, the company and the driver may be at fault. The company is responsible for routine maintenance of the tractor-trailer. The driver is responsible for checking the truck before each road trip.
In most semi-truck accidents, there is more than one cause and more than one at-fault party. It could be that a driver is speeding and the truck is improperly loaded, while the tire pressure is too low, all of which causes the truck to roll over while taking a curve. In these circumstances, the company and the driver would all be at-fault parties that caused the accident.
If a crash happened because of negligent maintenance or repair, the repair person and their company may also be held responsible for your damages. If shifting cargo contributed to the crash, the shipping company could also be responsible.
Sometimes a faulty vehicle is the cause of an accident. In this kind of truck accident case, the manufacturer of the truck may be responsible for the accident and required to compensate you for your injuries and property damage.
When you are injured in a crash with a truck, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost time at work, and other kinds of compensation. The person responsible for the accident may be required to pay you for your injuries and reimburse you for your expenses. That could be the driver of the truck, the trucking company, or the shipping company who loaded the truck. Sometimes more than one person is responsible.
Even when you are entitled to compensation, it can be difficult to get the money you deserve. Truck accident claims are complex. You will need to show that the driver or a company was at fault and you were not. You must prove that your injuries and damages to your car were caused by the crash. Many trucking companies rely upon their insurance companies and lawyers to aggressively negotiate a truck accident settlement and deny your claims. This could mean that the insurance company will make a settlement offer too low to cover your damages, injuries, lost time at work, and the like. If a settlement payment too low to cover your medical expenses and related losses is offered, the experienced personal injury lawyers at Regan Zambri Long can help you get the compensation you deserve.
A: When you are injured in an accident, you must file your claim against the trucking company, the driver, and any other at-fault parties. You file a claim by starting a lawsuit in court. You as the injured party will be the plaintiff and the company, driver, and other at-fault parties will be defendants.
You must file your claim within a specific period of time called the statute of limitations. Under DC law and Maryland law, you must file your truck accident claim within three years of the accident. If you do not, you will not be able to pursue your claim. In Virginia, you have even less time: two years from the date of the accident to file your truck accident lawsuit.
A: It depends on the cause of the truck accidents. If the truck rolled because of improper loading, the at-fault parties are likely the trucking company and the shipping company. The driver may also be liable since it is also his responsibility to make sure the cargo is loaded and secured properly.
If the truck driver’s recklessness or negligence in driving the truck caused the accident, you would file your claim against the driver.
Truck accidents tend to have more than one cause. For example, a poorly maintained truck may lead to tire blowouts that occurred because the driver was speeding. In cases like this, you can file a truck accident claim against multiple people and companies.
A: If you pursue a truck accident case in court against the truck driver or trucking company, personal injury law will apply. Your case will be called a personal injury claim. For those who pursue truck accident cases on behalf of family members who were killed in a trucking accident, the case will be a wrongful death lawsuit. Both provide “full and fair compensation” for losses suffered as a result of the truck crash. This includes compensation for medical expenses, at-home care, physical therapy, lost wages, loss of future earning potential if your loved one died, physical pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
A: The personal injury lawyers of Regan Zambri Long have extensive negotiation and trial experience handling truck accident cases. Each experienced truck accident lawyer attorney is able to advise our clients successfully based upon our years of experience handling lawsuits against the trucking industry.
Our legal team is made up of a dedicated group of trial lawyers. Our lawyers represent accident victims with empathy and consideration. We are passionate about helping victims and their families put their lives back together and move forward in the best way possible after an accident.
Our trucking accident lawyers are among the top lawyers in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, with many awards. Some of the credits our personal injury lawyers have earned are:
A: If you were injured in a semi-truck accident, you may have lost wages and mounting medical bills while you try to recover. You may be unable to work while you heal. Or you may be unable to work in the same way as you did before the accident. Because we know how challenging it can be after an accident, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means we do not charge attorney fees to you unless we recover money for you in court or a settlement.
At Regan Zambri Long, we help victims navigate the complexities of a legal claim following a large truck crash. We have decades of experience in large truck accident claims in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. In one case, we recovered $3 million for a client who suffered a traumatic amputation of her leg when struck by a truck while crossing the street. In another case, we recovered $4 million in a wrongful death settlement for the family of a construction worker who was killed when he was struck by a tractor-trailer truck that did not have a backup alarm.
If we take on your case and establish an attorney-client relationship, we will conduct a complete investigation of the accident scene, review the accident report, contact witnesses, review medical records, estimate compensation, and hire expert witnesses to testify about your injuries and the negligence or recklessness of the truck driver, the trucking company, and any other at-fault parties. Our lawyers negotiate with insurance companies, including your own insurance company, and the at-fault parties to reach a settlement that compensates you. And we fight for your rights in court at trial.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, an experienced truck accident lawyer at Regan Zambri Long will advise you about whether you can receive compensation for your injuries. We will help you understand your legal rights during a free consultation. Call (202) 960-4596 or contact us using our online form to receive your free consultation to discuss your situation and legal options.
