Anyone injured in a truck accident knows the terrifying experience that occurs at that moment when an 80,000-pound truck is barreling towards you. The injuries, the emotional trauma, and the financial loss are challenging to overcome, especially when insurance companies are unwilling to help you fairly.
At Levar Law, we have the experienced, aggressive, and proven truck accident lawyer in Arkadelphia, AR, you need on your side. Talk to our Arkadelphia personal injury lawyers today about your case, whether you were injured on Highway 67, Highway 8, or any road in town.
The Importance of Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer in Arkadelphia
Truck accident victims face a long road to recovery, both physically and financially. They often face insurance companies who are unwilling to compromise and pressure to settle, all while battling intense injuries and long periods of being unable to work. Attorney Alan Levar aims to provide a better outcome for you. Hiring an attorney from our firm offers numerous benefits.
- Dependable advocacy. You do not have to worry about speaking to the insurance company when you have a lawyer. You may know adjusters want to trick you into admitting fault. We do not let them.
- Exceptional expertise means we know how to hold them accountable. In these complex cases, expect our truck accident lawyer to build an evidence-based case that protects your future. Our years of experience give us this ability.
- Maximized compensation is critical. Long recovery periods mean you need financial support that’s maximized under the law. We fight for your best possible outcome.
As a truck accident attorney in Arkadelphia, AR, our legal team remains by your side through negotiations, settlement offers, and lawsuits when necessary. We provide you with confidential and confident legal representation. Most importantly, there is no risk. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing for our legal services. Learn more about our legal team today.
Determining the Cause of Your Truck Accident
One of the most important steps our truck accident lawyers will take is identifying the cause of your accident. Law enforcement may already have some idea. We want to go deeper to fully understand all aspects of this incident because it will allow us to seek fault against all parties responsible more effectively. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Distracted drivers: Truck drivers who are watching a podcast, talking on a phone, or otherwise not paying attention to the roadway put everyone else at risk.
- Fatigued drivers: Hours of Service laws make it clear that truck drivers need routine breaks to keep them from being fatigued behind the wheel.
- Impairment: Truck drivers cannot use alcohol or drugs while driving, and impairment from over-the-counter or prescription medications is also a violation.
- Reckless driving: Speeding, illegal turns, illegal lane changes, or aggressive driving, including tailgating, are all common causes of accidents.
- Cargo shifting: In situations where the truck’s cargo shifts, often due to mistakes in placing and securing it, the risk of serious accidents is significant.
- Mechanical failures: A lack of maintenance, inferior service, or manufacturer design defects may contribute to truck accidents.
These and other causes of truck accidents must be fully understood. Without that type of in-depth understanding, it may not be possible to hold all parties liable and accountable. Expect our semi-truck accident lawyer to fully investigate this accident. Explore our verdicts & settlements to learn more.
Who Could Be At Fault in an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident?
Knowing the cause of the truck accident enables our legal team to then assign fault in the case. Various parties could be at fault, and it is not uncommon for more than one party to be held liable. Some examples include:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies that hire and manage truck drivers
- Trucking maintenance and repair technicians
- Cargo loading companies
- Third-party organizations
- Truck manufacturers
- Cities and states with poor road management
By examining all of these individuals to determine who is at fault, you can expect our tractor-trailer attorney to build a solid case for your benefit. Whether you were hurt driving down State Highway 128 or along US Highway 67, we want to make sure that the truck driver and other parties are held accountable.
How a Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer Gets Evidence to Back Up Your Claim
Another key reason to work with our truck accident lawyer in Arkadelphia, AR, is our relentless pursuit of evidence to back up your claims and prove what happened in your accident. Many times, the most valuable evidence in these cases is not readily available to just anyone. No insurance company is going to share details with you either. We pursue evidence such as:
- Commercial truck black boxes and recordings of driver activities
- Witness statements
- Data from medical records for the driver, if impairment is a concern
- Accident reconstruction services to demonstrate what took place
- Video and photos of the accident and the aftermath
- Expert witness testimony
- Research into known manufacturer faults and recalls on trucks
- Maintenance logs
- Federal trucking regulations require logs about maintenance, hours of service, and driver skills
Every bit of information we have and can obtain helps us build a robust case. Expect our team to seek out these types of details even if you have a good idea of the cause of your accident and who is to blame. The more evidence we have, the harder it is for the insurance company to treat you unfairly.
What if You Are Partially at Fault in a Truck Accident in Arkansas?
In some truck accidents, the victim may be partially at fault for the incident. Arkansas follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This rule means that the jury or a judge will assign a percentage of fault to all parties involved.
If you are found to be 50% at fault or higher, you cannot recover damages. However, if you are found to be 49% at fault or lower, you are able to seek damages from the at-fault party. In these cases, your compensation is reduced by the amount of fault levied against you.
Our legal team will work to prove you were not at fault as long as that is possible to do. By working to reduce the fault percentage assigned to you, we can minimize the risk that you do not receive fair compensation. If you are at fault, contact us for more insight.
Common Serious Injuries from Truck Accidents
Our semi-truck accident lawyers in Arkadelphia, AR, often encounter victims with lifelong complications due to the negligence of trucking companies and drivers. In every situation, we aim to pursue financial support so that you can focus on your medical care and get the treatment you need to heal. This is very important in serious accidents such as those involving these injuries:
- Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in partial or full paralysis
- Neck and back injuries causing chronic pain and limited mobility
- Lacerations and deep tissue wounds often cause muscle and nerve damage
- Burns and road rash
- Amputations due to complications or complex injuries
- Broken bones, including complex fractures, cause chronic pain and mobility loss
- Disfigurement due to serious scarring
- Emotional trauma and mental health impact
These injuries may make it hard for you to go back to work or maintain the activities that you enjoy. Many of our accident victims struggle to get comprehensive medical care because of the sheer cost, especially if their health insurance runs out. When they cause your accidents, expect us to make sure they pay for your losses.
Catastrophic Injuries in Truck Accidents
Many people suffer serious injuries but fully recover. They are able to go back to work and rebuild their life. For other victims, a long road ahead may be riddled with complexity.
In situations where you have catastrophic injuries, such as permanent disability, loss of mobility, chronic pain, loss of hearing or vision, or other complex injuries, the need to work with truck accident attorneys in Arkadelphia is more important than ever. These types of losses create a lifetime of financial need. Our objective is to maximize your claim, so you have the financial resources necessary to live your life.
There may be no real justice in receiving money to cover such losses. Yet, for victims, being able to have the necessary funds to care for their families and meet other financial obligations when they are unable to work can be critically important. Expect our legal team to fight for the highest compensation possible in these accidents.
Types of Damages You May Be Owed in a Truck Accident Claim
After a truck accident, focus on getting medical care and seeking emotional trauma support. Know that our legal team will be working in the background to help you build your claim. To maximize your losses, we examine all types of potential losses associated with your accident. Some of the most common fall into these areas.
Economic Damages
Economic damages in a truck accident are those documented by proof. That may include bills or proven losses. Examples of economic damages associated with truck accidents include:
- Medical bills from the emergency care received
- Ongoing medical care needs and costs
- In-home medical support, as well as rehabilitation
- Loss of wages due to being unable to work for a period of time
- Loss of earning capacity if you are not able to go back to your job
- Property damage losses related to replacing or repairing your vehicle
- Out-of-pocket costs are necessary as a result of the accident
Non-economic Damages
More subjective in nature, non-economic damages include losses that are less tangible but still critically important to recover. These are real losses, and you need these funds to help you rebuild your life and overcome your new challenges. Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering from the accident and through your recovery
- Emotional distress, including the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety
- Disfigurement and scarring-related losses
- Loss of enjoyment in life due to being unable to engage in activities you enjoy
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
Punitive Damages
In some rare situations, the court may award punitive damages after your truck accident. These damages aim to punish the at-fault party for their specifically heinous and outlandish acts. It may apply to situations where the truck driver was intoxicated, or the trucking company knew of the risks to the public and still allowed the driver on the road.
Negligence Per Se and Trucking Regulations
Negligence per se is a legal statute that can make proving liability easier, especially when it comes to truck accidents and violations of federal trucking regulations. The plaintiff is not required to prove all the elements of negligence (duty, breach, causation, and damages) when using negligence per se. Instead, the plaintiff will only need to show that the defendant violated a rule, law, or policy in place to protect the safety of the public.
On top of the plaintiff not having to prove the elements of negligence using this doctrine, the burden of proof can also be shifted to the defendant. Instead of the plaintiff having to prove the defendant was negligent, the defendant now has to prove that the actions they took were not negligent.
It is important to note that not all violations of regulations can be deemed negligence per se. The court will need to evaluate the regulation, determine if its purpose was to protect the plaintiff, and if the violation of that regulation is what led to your injury.
Get the Legal Support You Need from Our Truck Accident Attorney in Arkadelphia
When a semi-truck driver changes your life, fight to protect it. Let Attorney Alan Levar and our entire legal team go to work to build your case. We do not charge you any fees for a consultation, and you do not pay any out-of-pocket costs. We will go to work immediately to build your case.
If our truck accident lawyer in Arkadelphia does not recover damages for you for any reason, you owe us nothing. Call Levar Law now for a free consultation and to start the conversation about the worth of your case’s worth.
