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Louisville Truck Accident Lawyers
Strong advocacy for victims of truck accidents in Kentucky
Tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, rigs, and all other large commercial trucks are difficult to control and take up a lot of room on the highway. When trucks collide with cars, motorcycles, and pedestrians, the consequences for anyone outside the truck can be fatal or cause severe injuries. At Crandall & Pera Law, we have the experience and resources to hold truck drivers and truck companies accountable when they cause accidents on any of Kentucky’s federal, state, or local roads. We’re skilled at negotiating damage claims with insurance companies and trying cases before juries.
In a few illustrative truck accident cases, we obtained:
- $20.5 million. The internationally known experts we employed helped us obtain this settlement after years of litigation. Our client, a student, suffered devastating injuries when a truck at a construction site ran over him. The defendants included several truck companies, some of which were worth billions of dollars and had the money to hire top lawyers and experts.
- $5.5 million. Our Louisville truck accident lawyers obtained this sum for a woman after she was broadsided by an 18-wheeler truck. She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
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Table of Contents
- What types of trucks cause accidents in Louisville?
- How do truck accidents happen in Louisville?
- What causes truck accidents to happen in Louisville?
- What laws govern commercial trucks in Kentucky?
- How dangerous are truck accidents?
- What injuries do truck accidents cause?
- Who do you hold responsible for truck accidents in Louisville?
- How do you fight for truck accident victims in Louisville?
What types of trucks cause accidents in Louisville?
Drivers of large commercial trucks need a specific license called a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate their trucks. They need this license for a reason. Driving large trucks requires much more skill and physical ability than driving a car. Commercial trucks (which are generally trucks that have a commercial gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more) and smaller trucks, such as delivery trucks, are dangerous because they’re difficult to control and operate.
At Crandall & Pera, we represent accident victims when any type of truck is involved, including:
- Tractor-trailers
- Semis
- Rigs
- 18-wheelers
- HAZMAT trucks
- Flatbeds
- Fire trucks
- Garbage trucks
- Delivery trucks
- Back-hoes
- All other types of trucks
How do truck accidents happen in Louisville?
Our Louisville truck accidents represent clients in all types of truck accidents, including:
- Jackknifes. These accidents happen when the tractor and trailer don’t move together due to speeding, skids, or other reasons - causing the tractor and trailer to close in on each other like the blades of a jackknife. When a jackknife happens, the combination of the tractor and trailer can spread across the highway, creating a dangerous condition for the truck driver and everyone near the tractor-trailer.
- Truck rollovers. The truck’s center of gravity makes it more prone to roll over than cars, especially when the truck isn’t properly loaded, the truck goes too fast in a curve, and for other reasons. When a truck rolls over, the cargo is likely to spill out. Truck rollovers often cause deaths and catastrophic injuries.
- Blind spot accidents. Truck drivers will have difficulty seeing around all sides of the truck. Cameras and video technology may help. Drivers and truck companies who fail to recognize their blind spots and take preventive measures should be held accountable.
- Wide-turn accidents. At Crandall & Pera Law, we hold truck drivers and truck companies accountable for wide-turn accidents. The driver and trucking companies should warn nearby drivers when they’re turning and should know how to shift into other lanes and complete their turn without endangering any vehicle or person near the truck. Wide-turn accidents can crush any nearby vehicles.
- Underride and override accidents. Small cars can slide under a truck. Large trucks can drive over smaller cars. Trucking companies are required to install rear safety guards to prevent these accidents. Side and front guards are also advisable. These Louisville truck accidents are likely to be fatal or cause horrific injuries.
- Cargo spills and shifts. Trucking companies should never put profit (heavy loads) ahead of the safety of anyone on a Kentucky road. Cargo that is loaded improperly or cargo that isn’t properly secured can cause the truck driver to lose control of the truck or the cargo to spill– this is a leading cause of truck accidents in Kentucky.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we also handle head-on truck accidents, broadsides, rear-end accidents, intersection collisions, single-truck accidents, and multiple-vehicle accidents.
What causes truck accidents to happen in Louisville?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we work with the police, our own investigators, truck safety professionals, and others to show how your accident and who should be held liable. Some of the common causes of Louisville truck accidents include the following:
Driver negligence
- Driver distraction, which includes texting, using a mobile phone, looking at a GPS, eating, drinking, and other distractions
- Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding, tailgating, failing to yield, and other Kentucky traffic violations
- Failing to inspect the tires and other truck parts before each trip
Trucking company negligence
- Failing to conduct background checks on drivers to determine if they have valid commercial driver’s licenses and what traffic offenses they’ve committed
- Failing to monitor the truck driver’s performance
- Failing to regularly inspect their trucks and make prompt repairs
- Not educating truck drivers about possible dangers and how to handle known dangers
- Pressuring truck drivers to speed and prioritize quick deliveries over truck safety
- Overloading a truck or failing to properly secure the cargo
Generally, truck employers are liable for any negligent driving of their employer.
Other types of negligence
- Defective truck parts. Truck manufacturers can be held liable for defective truck parts such as brakes, tires, and hydraulic systems
- Defective road design. Roads should be designed properly and continually repaired and maintained.
What laws govern commercial trucks in Kentucky?
Our Louisville truck accident lawyers are skilled at showing a truck driver or trucking company violated a federal or Kentucky commercial driving law. These laws include:
- The FMCSA Hours of Service rules regulate how long a truck driver can be on the road before taking a mandatory rest.
- The OSHA loading and unloading rules regulate the proper ways of loading different types of cargo.
- Other laws that regulate the size and weight of trucks, CDL requirements, electronic log and black box requirements, truck maintenance, and other truck safety rules
How dangerous are truck accidents?
In 2022, 102 trucks were involved in fatal accidents in Kentucky. There were more than 10,000 truck accidents. Trucks accounted for 5% of all accidents and 8% of all deaths on Kentucky roads. “20% of all truck collisions occurred on city, county, or other streets, 33% on interstates or parkways, and 46% on U.S. and state routes.”
Some of the leading causes included load securement and oversized loads. Other causes included defective brakes, headlights, and other truck equipment. Tire failures, tow hitch failures, and steering failures were other contributing factors. The victims include 5,212 Kentucky residents, 4,368 out-of-state residents, and 804 unidentified residents.
Trucks are dangerous because they’re hard to control; they’re wider, taller, longer, and heavier than most cars; they need more time and distance to stop; the cargo can move or spill; and many other reasons.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we understand why Louisville truck accidents happen. We work with the police, investigators, and truck safety experts to show why your accident was preventable and why the defendants are liable.
What injuries do truck accidents cause?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we represent the victims of truck accidents who suffer any type of catastrophic, permanent, or serious injury. We also represent families when a truck accident is fatal. Truck injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage, including paralysis and herniated discs
- Fractures/broken bones
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Burns
- Internal bleeding and internal organ damage
- Nerve, muscle, tendon, tissue, and ligament damage – including whiplash
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Severe cuts and bruises
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Psychological trauma
- Other severe injuries
Who do you hold responsible for truck accidents in Louisville?
Our Louisville truck accident attorneys file claims against everyone who caused your accident, including:
- The truck driver
- The employer of the truck driver
- The truck owner
- The shipping companies
- Truck manufacturers
- Repair and maintenance companies
- The Kentucky Department of Transportation, Jefferson County, or other governmental agencies/entities
How do you fight for truck accident victims in Louisville?
Our Louisville truck accident lawyers understand the unique issues involved in every type of accident – whether it’s a simple rear-end accident or a multi-vehicle accident involving multiple defendants and victims who live in and outside of Kentucky.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we handle all phases of your truck accident claim, including:
- Determining how the accident occurred, why it was preventable, and who is responsible.
- Determining what injuries you have, the full medical care you’ll need, the cost of that care, and every way those injuries are making your life difficult or miserable.
- Preparing your case by assessing all your damages, including the medical costs, your physical pain and emotional suffering, your lost income and benefits, any scarring or disfigurement, the loss of bodily function, and your inability to enjoy life’s pleasures.
- Negotiating your claim by making a formal demand based on our detailed explanation of the liability and damage issues and seeking to obtain a just and fair settlement. We also prepare formal demands when we file a wrongful death action on behalf of the family of a close family member who died in a truck accident.
- Arguing your case before a judge and jury where our Louisville truck accident lawyers have the respect of former clients and the Louisville and Kentucky legal community for our record of substantial verdicts.
Our lawyers are skilled at anticipating and countering the defenses that insurance companies and defense attorneys assert.
Talk to our accomplished Louisville truck accident lawyers
At Crandall & Pera Law, we work with Kentucky, national, and international liability and medical experts to explain how your accident happened and the full scope of your damages. We represent injury victims and families throughout Kentucky. Call us or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation.