Content Reviewed by:
Cari F. Silverman
Content Reviewed by: Cari F. Silverman
Accordion Content
Cari Silverman has been a successful trial lawyer and advocate for injured accident victims and grieving families since 2011. She has won millions in compensation in cases involving car and truck accidents, wrongful death, and medical malpractice. She has been recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers as a Rising Star every year since 2013. In 2020, Leading Lawyers designated her as one of the Top 10 Emerging Women Lawyers. She has lectured for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and her writing has been published in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Trial Magazine.
Truck accidents often involve devastating injuries and a complicated web of multiple liable parties, making them much more complex than most car accidents. To have the best chance at recovering all available compensation, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer to help investigate and build your claim while you focus on healing.
The skilled legal team at Levin & Perconti has over 400 years of combined legal experience and has recovered over $2 billion for our clients since 1992. Our trusted commercial truck accident attorneys are ready to take on your case and get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call (312) 332-2872 today for a free consultation.
The Complexities of Truck Accident Cases
Truck accidents have inherent complexities that set them apart from standard car accidents. The sheer size and destructive force of a commercial truck puts victims at a much higher risk of severe, lifelong injuries or even wrongful death. Worse injuries mean higher damages and more at stake for insurance companies, who might put up a fight before paying you what you’re owed.
Most important is the possibility of more than one liable party, as multiple entities involved in the operation of a commercial truck can be legally responsible for accidents. Heightened damages and more defendants lead to larger, more complicated investigations and legal proceedings.
With the depth of our experience, knowledge, and financial resources, Levin & Perconti is well-equipped to handle the complexities of truck accident cases and win our clients the compensation and justice they deserve.
Dealing with Multiple Parties and Insurance Companies
Various individuals and companies responsible for a commercial truck can be held liable after an accident. Examples of liable parties in trucking accidents include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company employing the driver
- The truck owner
- Maintenance companies, if shoddy repairs contributed to the crash
- Shipping companies, if improperly loaded cargo led to the accident
- Government entities, if poorly maintained roads contributed to the accident
Dealing with all these different potential parties—and their insurance companies—can be overwhelming. Our knowledgeable truck accident lawyers can help streamline the legal process for you, handling all communications so you can spend more time recovering with your family.
Proving Negligence and Liability for Trucking Accidents
To prove negligence, you’ll need to establish that a party involved in your truck accident violated a duty of care to you in a way that led to the crash, such as a driver operating the truck while intoxicated, a company pressuring drivers to violate hours-of-service limits, or a maintenance company cutting corners.
Establishing negligence requires a thorough investigation of each party and their role in the crash. Our skilled truck accident attorneys are experienced in gathering evidence, analyzing facts, and building a strong case that proves the liability of each responsible party.
$6.5 Million
Trucking Accident Settlement
($4.7 record Kane County wrongful death settlement) for the family of a 32-year-old woman who was killed when their pick-up truck was rear-ended by a semi-truck. Our client and his son both suffered significant personal injuries in the collision.
Determining the Full Extent of Your Damages
Truck accident victims can recover damages for various economic and non-economic losses they suffer due to their injuries. Examples of available damages include:
- Medical bills and future health care expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Property damage and vehicle repair costs
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Properly calculating both the current value of your injuries and the cost of future damages you’ll experience is key to getting the maximum compensation available to you. Our trusted team works diligently to ensure our clients get full and fair payment for all their losses.
Understanding the Trucking Industry’s Federal and State Regulations
Trucking companies are required to follow certain federal and state safety regulations, so documenting clear violations of those rules can be critical in proving negligence. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets many important rules for truckers, including:
- Maximum hours a driver can operate a vehicle or stay on duty in a single shift
- Required hours of rest between shifts
- Mandatory 30-minute breaks after driving eight hours in a row
- Caps on the number of hours a driver can work in a consecutive seven or eight-day period
- Driver training and licensing requirements
- Mandatory testing for drugs and alcohol
- Rules for how often and when vehicles need to be inspected
With hundreds of hours of combined legal experience, our knowledgeable truck accident lawyers understand how to navigate these complicated regulations and use them to prove liability.
Protecting Your Rights and Negotiating for Fair Compensation
Insurance companies are not on your side. Faced with choosing between their bottom lines and paying injury victims what they deserve, insurers will resort to underhanded tactics to pay as little as possible, even pressuring claimants into accepting low settlement offers before they understand the true value of their damages.
The right attorney can help level the playing field and pursue the full compensation you’re owed. Our trusted truck accident lawyers are skilled in settlement negotiations and are dedicated to securing you a fair outcome.
Gathering and Preserving Critical Evidence From the Truck Accident
Key types of evidence in a truck accident case often includes:
- Medical records
- Driver logbooks
- Black box data
- Maintenance records
- Witness statements
- Police reports
- Surveillance or dash camera footage
It’s important to gather and preserve evidence as quickly as possible, as it can be lost or destroyed if left in the hands of liable parties. Our truck accident team is skilled in rapidly investigating new cases and ensuring all key evidence is secure, giving you the best chance at recovering full compensation.
Litigation and Court Representation
While most personal injury cases settle out of court, some do make it all the way to trial. Litigation can be a long and complicated process even before reaching the courtroom. Having a strong trial lawyer is important for getting the most out of your lawsuit and ensuring you’re prepared for whatever comes your way.
Our experienced truck accident lawyers aren’t afraid to take your case to trial and fight for a favorable verdict. We’ll negotiate hard throughout the process to win you a fair settlement, but if the insurance company doesn’t want to pay you what you’re owed, we’re prepared to see them in court.
Get the Legal Help You Deserve And Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers Today
When you’ve been seriously hurt in a crash with a commercial truck, you need a dedicated truck accident attorney to help you get the peace of mind you need and the compensation you deserve. Levin & Perconti’s deep experience, dedication to justice, and proven results make us the right choice for your case. Contact us online or call (312) 332-2872 today to schedule a free consultation.
