MARANA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER
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Marana Truck Accident Lawyer
We Represent Injured Victims Throughout Tucson And All The Surrounding Areas!
The trucking industry moves more than 70% of all freight around the country. With I-10 cutting through the heart of Marana, we see more than our fair share of these vehicles racing in and out of town at all hours of the day. Without them, we would enjoy fewer consumer goods, and our city businesses would have fewer customers.
However, semis and other trucks are dangerous. When they collide with smaller vehicles, passengers end up with severe injuries and large medical bills. Call Karnas Law Firm, PLLC today if you were involved in a crash involving a large truck. You deserve one of the best Marana, AZ truck accident lawyers on your team, and we will explain your right to compensation in a free meeting.
Why Car Accidents Involving Trucks Happen in Marana, AZ
Both Arizona and the federal government tightly regulate this industry. Still, accidents happen regularly. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, our state experienced 2,760 tractor accidents in 2022.
Some of the most common reasons for these accidents include:
- Brake failure
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Failure to surveil surroundings
- Lack of familiarity with the route
- Dangerous lane changes
- Tailgating
- Illegal turns
- Distracted driving
- Cell phone use
- Fatigued driving
- Drug or alcohol use
- Driver inexperience
- Failure to perform pre- and post-trip inspections
- Blown tires
Your Right to Compensation
Under Arizona law, you can receive money for your losses if someone else is at least partly responsible for your accident. Arizona recognizes comparative negligence, which will reduce your compensation in proportion to your share of fault. But so long as you are not 100% to blame, you should be able to sue someone else.
Call Karnas Law Firm today. Truck accidents differ significantly from car accidents because there are more possible defendants. We can begin investigating your accident to determine how it happened and then pinpoint who is to blame. You should not have to bother with this evidence collection as you recover from your injuries.
Who Do We Sue If I’m Involved In A Truck Accident Near Tucson?
Some of the most common defendants include:
- Truckers for failing to drive with sufficient care. A trucker who is tired, drunk, or distracted with a cell phone is at fault for not driving safely. Other truckers run red lights, drive too fast, or make illegal lane changes.
- Trucking companies. A trucking company might be at fault for a variety of reasons. For example, they own the truck and are responsible for making sure it is safe to drive. If they put a dangerous truck on the road, they are at fault. Trucking companies are also liable for negligent hiring, training, supervising, or disciplining truckers. In Arizona, an employer is also automatically liable if their employee negligently hurts someone on the job.
- Truck mechanics. A mechanic shop must perform their duties with reasonable care. If they overlook defects or do poor work, they are responsible if the defect causes a collision.
- Freight companies. Unbalanced or unsecure freight loads can lead to rollovers, jackknifes, and other dangerous accidents. The freight company could be solely responsible for an accident when the freight is unsecure.
- Truck manufacturers. Any manufacturer of a defective part could also share liability for an accident. For example, some brakes are defective right out of the factory, and the manufacturer is on the hook if the accidents cause a wreck.
The defendant might also claim you are partially to blame for the accident. If you cut off a truck, tailgated, or were distracted yourself, you could share liability. That will result in less compensation. As an example: someone 55% to blame will receive only 45% of the compensation they should otherwise receive.
Common Truck Accident Injuries That We See Quite Often
Our clients have struggled with many moderate and catastrophic injuries. Trucks are so heavy that they cause serious traumatic injuries. You might struggle with:
- Burns or abrasions
- Torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Fractures
- Cuts or lacerations
- Facial injuries
- Head injuries, including concussions
- Herniated disc
- Whiplash
- Compressed nerves
- Dislocated shoulder, elbow, or knee
- Organ injuries
- Spinal cord damage
Evidence We Use to Establish Fault
To make a convincing claim for compensation, our Marana, AZ truck accident lawyers need evidence. Once we can piece together what happened, we can argue the defendant is primarily at fault and should pay you compensation. We typically rely on:
- Photographs taken at the scene: Where the vehicles end up helps us visualize how they collided. If you can move around following your crash, please use your phone to take pictures.
- Witness statements: Eyewitnesses can help us reconstruct an accident, which is one reason to try and speak to witnesses following a crash.
- Electronic data: Truckers must maintain logs to comply with state and federal laws. These logs should show when the truck was in motion and when the trucker took a break. Paper logs were once standard, but most new trucks have electronic logging systems. We seek this evidence to see if a trucker drove over the maximum number of hours.
- Toxicology reports: Trucking companies must drug test a trucker after most accidents. We can use this information to establish the trucker was drunk or high. The lack of any toxicology report could also be instructive, showing negligence on the trucking company’s part.
- Load manifest: The manifest can show whether the truck was overloaded, which would have made it unstable.
- Maintenance records: We use these records to see if the truck’s owner performed adequate maintenance. For example, the manufacturer might have recommended certain maintenance, which the owner delayed for no good reason.
Compensation for a Marana, AZ Truck Accident
Our clients come to us in pain and feeling financial distress. The fact is that a truck accident is a devastating accident, equivalent to a forest fire burning down your house. Accident victims are usually struggling with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills and car repairs. Very few can immediately return to work.
We seek compensation for a variety of bills and financial losses:
- Medical care, including ambulance transportation, X-rays and other diagnostic tests, doctor’s appointments, surgery, prescriptions, and assistive devices like wheelchairs.
- Rehabilitation, including physical, speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy, depending on your injuries.
- Future medical expenses, if you are handicapped by serious impairments.
- Car and property damage. A collision with a multi-ton truck probably damaged your car, so you should seek money for repairs.
- Physical pain and suffering for the agony that bodily injuries bring.
- Emotional distress and mental anguish. Many victims struggle for years with depression due to serious injuries, or they relive the crash.
When meeting with your attorney, share any evidence you have of your expenses, like medical bills. Our firm uses this information to analyze the dollar value of your claim. Some losses (like pain and distress) are subjective, so we rely on other information.
Why You Shouldn’t Settle Your Own Truck Accident Claim
Because of financial concerns, some victims might feel tempted to handle their own insurance claim. They see lawyers as an expense and believe they can do some research online to figure out how to obtain a settlement. We recommend against that course of action. Truck accident cases are complex, and victims must focus on their rehabilitation from serious injuries.
Truck accident cases involve:
- Complicated regulations and rules. Many trucking companies are lax when it comes to following the law, and they might be liable for that reason. Our legal team knows these rules already and can shed some light on poor safety practices.
- Inaccessible evidence. Much of the evidence for a truck accident case is owned by the trucking company. You need a lawyer who knows how to tell companies to preserve this evidence.
- Multiple defendants. No one is required to pay compensation to you unless they bear some fault. For this reason, our lawyers excel at sifting through the evidence to identify liable parties.
- Larger settlements. A trucking company and its insurer will more aggressively defend itself when there is more money on the line. You need someone who can expertly negotiate with these parties to obtain a favorable settlement.
Don’t worry about whether you can afford a lawyer. Karnas Law Firm handles cases on a contingency fee basis. That means we do all the work, and you don’t owe us a dime unless we win your case.
The Statute of Limitations
Arizona law places a maximum time limit on personal injury claims. Under Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542, you get two years. You will lose out on the ability to sue if you wait too long.
This is another reason to reach out to an attorney. We can make sure you meet all deadlines, which preserves your ability to negotiate with the defendant. Once you go past the deadline, you lose any leverage you have with a defendant and its insurer.
Call Us to Speak with a Marana, AZ Truck Accident Lawyer
At Karnas Law Firm, our legal team has helped clients injured in some of the most devastating truck accidents. Please call us today to find out how we can help. Our consultations are free and without any obligation.