Indianapolis Truck Accident Lawyers

Truck accidents are extremely dangerous and often have disastrous consequences. Trucks are very large and heavy and may cause significant damage in an accident.

In fact, it is not uncommon for multiple drivers to be hurt in a semi truck accident. In some cases, victims do not survive their injuries. Because trucks are inherently dangerous, truck drivers must exercise caution when driving. If they fail to do so, they might lose control of their vehicles, rear-end smaller passenger cars, or even hit pedestrians or bicyclists, causing them life-altering injuries. After such incidents, victims can typically file claims against the driver or their employer for their injuries. Private companies often employ truck drivers who haul various cargo across highways, and they may be liable for their employee’s actions that lead to your medical bills, property damage, pain and suffering, and other compensable damages.

Call (219) 322-1166 for a free case discussion with Wruck Paupore’s truck accident lawyers.

Common Injuries from Truck Accidents in Indianapolis

Accidents involving tractor-trailers or other large trucks are often quite severe. These vehicles’ sheer size and weight make for extreme or even deadly accidents. Injuries are often debilitating, and victims spend a long time physically and mentally recovering. Many truck accident victims never fully heal and end up with lifelong disabilities. If you were hurt in a truck accident in Indianapolis and are suffering from serious physical injuries for which you deserve compensation, our lawyers can help you pursue a claim.

Broken Bones

Injuries like broken bones and lacerations are very common in truck accident cases. These injuries are common in ordinary car accidents and may be more severe after a collision with a large truck. Facial fractures are among the most frequently seen injuries, as victims might suffer broken noses or damage to their eyes during airbag deployment. Lacerations on the face from broken glass are also common, and victims may need reconstructive surgery to address such injuries.

Limb Loss

Truck accidents may also lead to permanent injuries and disabilities. Victims have been known to lose limbs in car accidents, particularly if their vehicles flip over or they get pinned between objects. Victims may have to get limbs amputated after suffering crushing injuries during accidents, which could be more likely when struck as pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. Not only is losing a limb physically painful and expensive due to the surgeries and rehabilitation involved, but it is also terribly emotionally distressing for victims. Limb loss could warrant greater non-economic damages, and our truck accident lawyers may have mental health experts assess you and offer statements supporting your recovery.

Brain Injuries

Other times, their injuries are so severe that they lose certain bodily functions. For example, serious nerve damage may restrict your ability to move parts of your body, and brain damage could affect your senses, like vision or your ability to speak. Traumatic brain injuries are very common during truck accidents, particularly when vehicles roll over or victims’ heads come in contact with fixed objects within their vehicles. A permanent head injury has many consequences for victims, who might never be able to return to their previous levels of employment, leading to long-term lost wages for which we can also seek compensation.

Back Injuries

You might also suffer spinal cord injuries in your accident. These types of injuries can be catastrophic, and many victims lose their ability to walk. Such a serious injury could also require painful surgeries and extensive physical therapy. When spinal cord injuries are permanent, victims might be paralyzed for the rest of their lives, leading to an overall reduction in their quality of life. Seeking non-economic damages after suffering serious back injuries during a truck accident is important, particularly if you have also incurred expensive economic damages from the crash, which is likely.

Disfiguring Injuries

Many serious injuries leave permanent scars and disfigurements. Not only is the recovery from these injuries long and painful, but victims often suffer severe emotional trauma. Suppose you were injured in a truck accident. In that case, you deserve compensation, not just for the physical harm you have endured but also for the mental and emotional consequences of a negligent party’s actions. Some of the most common disfiguring injuries during truck accidents happen when vehicles catch fire. Burn injuries that cover large portions of victims’ bodies might be exceptionally painful, entitling them to greater compensation for their losses.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Indianapolis

Any number of mistakes can cause truck accidents. Most accidents happen due to driver error, although faulty truck equipment may be to blame, too. Trucks often have very long trailers behind them for hauling cargo. These long trailers obscure the driver’s field of vision in their rearview and make for very large blind spots. When truck drivers fail to check their blind spots before turning or merging, they may strike other vehicles and cause accidents.

Truck drivers must be cautious in dangerous road conditions because their vehicles have difficulty slowing down and changing directions. For example, they must be hypervigilant if the road is icy or wet. Speeding in dangerous road conditions is a common cause of truck accidents involving smaller passenger cars, especially on highways.

Truck drivers must also ensure they are fit to drive before getting behind the wheel. Truckers often drive for many consecutive hours and can become very tired. Driver fatigue could lead to a trucker falling asleep at the wheel and causing an accident. Drunk truck drivers are also extremely dangerous, as they have worsened reaction times and are more likely to nod off while driving.

If you believe a truck driver is responsible for your accident, our team will help you hold them accountable and get you the compensation you need to move on. We may begin by identifying how the driver was negligent, such as speeding or making an improper turn, as this will allow us to determine how they breached their duty of care. This often requires our truck accident lawyers to interview eyewitnesses, review police reports, analyze crash photos, and involve expert witnesses. We can initiate these processes immediately to increase your chances of a fast and fair recovery.

Importance of Documenting Truck Accidents and Injuries in Indianapolis

When injured by a reckless or irresponsible truck driver, calling the police is paramount. This will yield emergency response personnel who can help you process the scene and generate a police report that our lawyers can refer to when preparing your case.

Do not debate whether you should call 911 to report a truck accident. Most likely, you have suffered serious injuries that require medical attention and expensive property damage that must be documented. As part of our services, we can help you obtain and review the police report to look for new information about the crash, such as weather or road conditions. The report may also name eyewitnesses we can contact and interview for their statements.

Tell officers if you are injured and accept the care offered by paramedics who may also arrive on the scene. If you reject treatment, officers might note that in their report, which the negligent party may point to as a reason to evade liability for your medical expenses and other damages. In addition to getting and reviewing the police report, we can help you collect pertinent medical records after the accident regarding your exact injuries and required treatment.

Filing a Complaint After an Indianapolis Truck Accident

A personal injury claim after a truck accident begins with a formal complaint filed in court. When filing a complaint, we need to allege specific facts. These facts include the defendant’s name and details about the accident, like where it happened and what injuries you sustained.

Summarizing Your Case

First, we need to examine who we can hold responsible. For example, we may seek damages from the truck driver and the company that employs them. However, certain conditions must be met before we can sue an employer. Generally, you can only hold an employer responsible for their employee’s actions if the employee was working within the scope of their employment when the accident occurred. The employer might be beyond our reach if the truck driver was off duty or acting outside their job duties when the accident happened.

Requesting Compensation

We also need to include claims for relief. To do this, we must identify exactly what you want from this case. Most personal injury plaintiffs want money to help them cover the costs of their physical and emotional recoveries. If that is the case, we need to state how much compensation you need for damages and why. Remember, we must be specific. Vague demands for money will be shot down rather quickly. To ensure requests are accurate, we will begin tracking all damages from the crash immediately, such as your hospital expenses and lost wages. We can also use the appropriate methods to assess your non-economic losses, as failure to request compensation for these damages could leave them uncovered.

Filing the Case and the Defendant’s Response

The complaint should also explain to the court how you believe the accident occurred and why the truck driver or their employer is responsible. Again, specifics are necessary. General allegations against a defendant with nothing to support them will get you nowhere fast.

After we file your complaint and the defendants are served proper notice, we can review the evidence we have collected and the arguments we have prepared in anticipation of settlement negotiations. Truck accident victims only have two years after a collision to file their claims, or else they will be blocked from receiving damages in Indianapolis.

Call Our Indianapolis Attorneys to Discuss Your Truck Accident Now

Call (219) 322-1166 for help with your case from Wruck Paupore’s truck accident lawyers.