Tucson Truck Accident Lawyer

Dangerous large truck accidents in Tucson occur on a regular basis and are occurring more frequently. These collisions are often more severe than car-on-car accidents simply due to the dynamics of putting a colossal commercial truck against the average passenger vehicle. By law, any vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds is a truck; however, many commercial trucks weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded. The average passenger vehicle weighs just about 4,000 pounds. It’s no wonder that more often than not, the victim of a serious accident is the occupant of the passenger vehicle.

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Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents in Tucson occur for a variety of reasons, the most common being that truck drivers are overworked and fatigued behind the wheel. This leads to driver inattentiveness and general negligence on the road. Additionally, truck drivers may not adequately maintain or load their trucks, and equipment may malfunction, resulting in an accident with severe injuries.

Other causes include:

• Illegal lane changes
• Blind spot collisions
• Speeding
• Wide turns
• Cell phone use
• Amphetamine or other drug use
• Conversations with passengers

Following a truck accident, you have rights just like you would after a car accident; the main difference between them is truck accidents can be far more complicated by the multiple parties involved. Thus, several parties, including the trucker, the trucking company, or the manufacturer of the malfunctioning equipment may be liable for your injuries. Contact one of our Tucson truck accident attorneys today for a free consultation to get your questions answered!

Filing a Truck Accident Claim in Tucson, AZ

After a truck accident, it’s of paramount importance to hire one of the best and most knowledgeable truck accident attorneys in Tucson as soon as possible. Why the rush? Just hours after the incident, the truck driver, trucking company, the insurance company, and others send their teams out to investigate the crash. If you were hurt in an accident involving a truck or lost a loved one in a semi-truck or tractor-trailer accident in Tucson, you need unyielding legal representation advocating for you throughout the entirety of the truck accident case.

The investigation phase of the truck accident cases are much more involved and crucial than in a car-on-car collision. If you have suffered serious injuries due to the negligence of an inattentive driver, you need truck accident lawyers who will aggressively protect your interests and pursue a thorough investigation as soon as possible. The sooner you hire an attorney, the more capable he will be of collecting and preserving the evidence necessary to support your claim.

If you have been involved in trucking accidents, but are unsure whether or not you have cause for a claim, a professional attorney can help you with a number of situations including:

• Determining whether or not you have a case
• Understanding how much of a settlement you are entitled to under state law
• Gathering evidence surrounding your case
• Managing the legal paperwork and processes that go along with a claim

Those who hire an attorney to work with them after a truck accident are able to spend more time healing from their injuries and returning to their normal life instead of worrying about their claim.

How to Prove Fault in a Truck Accident

Establishing fault is a critical step toward receiving compensation. The person who is at fault is responsible for the wreck and must pay compensation to victims. Many truck accident victims have no idea how to establish fault, but we can fully review all available evidence:

• Talk with eyewitnesses about what they saw
• Inspect the vehicles involved in the crash
• Review maintenance records on the truck
• Request copy of the driver’s logs and any electronic data
• Ask to see drug test results performed on the driver
• Review performance evaluations for the driver
• Analyze the history of accidents involving the trucking company

Some of this evidence might be conflicting. For example, the trucker might blame you for the accident. But we can find evidence that supports your claim that a dangerous or negligent truck driver is the real party responsible.

Truck Accident Injuries You Can Sustain In Passenger Vehicles

In most injury truck accidents, it’s not the trucker who gets hurt. Common injuries following a commercial truck wreck in Tucson include, but are not limited to:

• Traumatic Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Burns
• Broken bones
• Bruises, cuts, and scrapes

Although some injuries sustained from truck accidents are minor, many are serious and have long-term side effects. In addition, the time spent healing from any injury, large or small, can disrupt life greatly and create change for you and your entire family. Victims of truck accidents should not have to live through the consequences of another’s negligent actions without receiving compensation for their hardship.

How Long Do I Have To File A Claim: Deadlines to Meet

Unfortunately, no matter how badly you are hurt, you must start your truck accident claim in a timely manner. In Arizona, the statute of limitations gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in court. When people go over this deadline, they lose the right to sue—and they lose all leverage in settlement negotiations. It is critically important that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can protect your rights. If you are approaching the deadline, we can swiftly file a lawsuit.

What Kinds of Damages Can I Collect From Truck Accidents?

As with any serious accident, a successful truck accident claim can lead to damages intended to cover past, present, and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. In rare cases of gross negligence, it may be possible to fight for punitive damages, which stand to make an example out of the trucking company to the rest of the trucking industry to deter future accidents as devastating as yours.

Settlements are not easy to get. Negotiation is usually a lengthy, back-and-forth process that can take many months. If there are disagreements about fault or the severity of your injuries, then even more time is needed. We have seen litigants wait over a year to get to trial.

By working with an attorney who is determined to collect every dime you deserve, you can ensure that you will not be stripped of the funds you desperately need at this difficult time. Too often, victims of truck accidents allow their cases to be decided by insurance companies. Though it may be tempting to accept the first settlement that comes your way, you will receive a miserly sum that allows insurance companies to line their pockets. Don’t settle for their deceitful tactics. Instead, contact an attorney you can trust and let them help you navigate your claim and get you the settlement you deserve.

What to Do after a Tucson Truck Accident

Accidents are scary experiences. Many victims will have suffered serious injuries which prevent them from doing anything but crying out for an ambulance. Nonetheless, there are certain steps you should take after an accident which can strengthen your legal claims:

• Call the police to the accident scene. If the driver is intoxicated or high, an officer can investigate. They can also complete a crash report with important details.
• Take pictures of the accident scene if you can move around. These pictures help us recreate the collision.
• Talk to witnesses if you aren’t in too much pain. Ask them to provide their name and contact information.
• Go to the hospital immediately to receive medical treatment and follow your doctor’s orders.
• Avoid giving any type of recorded or written statement to an insurance adjuster until you hire a lawyer. Many adjusters are trying to trip you up and get you to admit you are to blame.
• Never agree to a settlement without first running it by an attorney. It is highly unlikely the insurance company is offering a fair amount.
• Continue with your medical treatment until you reach maximum improvement. If you stop going to rehab early, then the defendant will blame you for your disabilities and pain.

Our lawyers are eager to discuss what other steps you can take in a private consultation.

How Karnas Law Firm Sets Itself Apart

If you were hurt in a truck accident, please reach out to our firm. You benefit from having a seasoned truck accident lawyer by your side. The sad fact is that trucking companies and their insurers are not looking out for your best interest. In fact, no one is. Only your Tucson truck accident lawyer is committed to helping you get the compensation you need and hold negligent truckers and trucking companies responsible for these collisions.

Karnas Law Firm has the right mix of skills and knowledge to obtain a settlement. Attorney David Karnas has spent nearly 30 years representing accident victims like you in cases against giant trucking companies and insurers. He has never shied away from a legal fight when he knows that he is the only one looking out for badly injured victims and their families.

Because of our firm’s experience, we can efficiently find helpful evidence and demand fair compensation from those at fault. And if a case can’t settle, we are willing to march into court and file a personal injury lawsuit against the person who has hurt you.

Contact our Knowledgeable Tucson Truck Accident Lawyers Today

Car and truck accident claims are the two most common types of personal injury claims we help settle at Karnas Law. Our experienced attorneys understand the importance of gathering the appropriate evidence and negotiating with the insurance companies to earn you the compensation you deserve.

Karnas Law has received multiple awards for their outstanding service to their customers. They have been named as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the state as well as the Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers. And in more than 25 years of experience, they have earned their clients millions of dollars in settlements. If you want to work with an attorney that will work for you, contact Karnas Law Firm at (520) 462-3886 or use our online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation.

FAQs about Tucson Truck Accidents

Please contact our firm if you have questions about a truck accident claim. Some of the more common questions are reproduced below along with our answers.

How much is a truck accident claim worth?

There is no number that applies to all truck accidents. Truck accidents vary considerably in terms of severity and injuries.

First, we must analyze your damages, which include economic losses and things like pain and suffering. But we also need to factor in how many resources the defendant has. If you can sue a trucking company, then they should have a business policy that covers the accident. These liability policies tend to have high limits.

We also need to consider your own negligence, which can reduce the compensation you receive in proportion to your degree of fault. So if you are 50% to blame, then you will receive 50% less.

What is comparative negligence in Tucson truck accidents?

You might have been negligent as well in the lead up to your accident. For example, you could have been looking at your phone while trying to pass a truck, or you could have been driving 10 miles over the speed limit when a truck smashed into you.

If your case goes to trial, the defendant might allege your negligence contributed to the accident. A jury will divide fault between the parties. During negotiations, the defendant’s insurer might also raise your own negligence as a reason why they are offering less compensation than you feel is warranted. Our firm is committed to putting responsibility for the crash where it belongs—on the other side.