Truck Accidents in Greenwood

When driving near commercial trucks, you may feel nervous about their size. These trucks weigh several tons more than the average vehicle, and they can lead to devastating accidents. Worse, you are most likely to encounter them on the highway, where traffic is moving at a typically faster rate.

Unfortunately, this means you may have been severely injured in a collision with an 18-wheeler. Truck accidents in Greenwood can be severe, but you do not have to deal with them alone. With help from a personal injury attorney at Stephenson Rife, you can rest easier knowing we strive to help our clients get fair compensation for the suffering they have experienced.

How Our Law Firm Can Help Your Truck Accident Claim Succeed

When facing an Indiana truck accident case, you are facing a complex, difficult claim type. When seeking the right firm for you, keep in mind that Stephenson Rife has extensive experience dealing with these types of claims. In fact, we have won multimillion-dollar settlements for multiple clients in truck accident cases.

That is because we work hard to advocate for those who put their trust in us. That level of persistence and effort can lead to powerful results for our clients. That includes settlements received out of court, meaning your case does not necessarily have to go to trial for a decisive win.

Our team also uses the most powerful technology possible to demonstrate precisely how severe your injuries are. That includes advanced technology to identify critical pieces of evidence and illustrate how devastating a truck accident can be to jurors. This has been a crucial part of our many million-dollar settlements.

Truck Accident Danger Stats

Truck accidents are especially dangerous because of the vehicles’ sheer size and weight. These vehicles may be several tons heavier than your car and carry a great weight. The cargo may be hazardous, capable of starting fires, or cause chemical spills.

According to a report by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), truck accidents frequently lead to devastating injuries and fatalities. This report states that 78% of crashes involving a large truck killed an occupant of another vehicle, and 75% injured another passenger or driver.

The study also shows that large trucks are generally more likely to be involved in fatal accidents involving multiple vehicles than your average passenger vehicle is. Because of these severe dangers, truck drivers are typically held to a higher standard of care than drivers of other vehicles. If they fail to uphold the standards, however, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.

Get to Know Stephenson Rife

One of the first things to know about our premier Indianapolis law firm is that we are dedicated to getting our clients justice, no matter how complex or detailed the case may be. Even if you believe you have few chances for compensation, we approach each case with extreme diligence, determining the best path forward for the injury victim.

We also offer the services a big firm can provide without the many expenses and similar issues that lead to high hourly rates at other firms. Instead, we focus on appointing a team of experienced attorneys to handle your case, and we handle those issues without charging extensive fees. We want to make it affordable for people like you to get the help you need.

We work closely with other firms. When legal matters cross state lines, between insurance disputes or truck company headquarters, we frequently help with local cases. We also take on cases that become too big for smaller firms so that they can ensure their clients are getting the same care and positive results they strive to provide.

Common Injuries in Truck Accidents Can Turn Lethal

When a truck accident occurs, your injuries can be devastating quickly. Because these trucks are so large and can exert so much force on you and your vehicle, you may have potentially life-threatening injuries. Below is just a tiny sample of the possible injuries you may incur in a Greenwood truck accident:

• Head injuries
• Back and spine injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Whiplash 
• Broken bones.

Even if you feel like you have not been injured, it is best to seek medical attention. You may have delayed injuries, which may not be obvious until days, hours, or even weeks after the accident. Because this element can be so variable, you may need to get medical care now rather than later.

Determining Liability for Truck Accidents Is Tricky

Identifying the liable party for your truck accident claim in Greenwood can be tricky. While you may know who physically caused the accident, identifying the person financially liable for your losses is not always so simple. Fortunately, we are here to guide you through this process and help you determine who to sue for your injuries.

Truck Company

When someone causes an accident, your first instinct may be to place the blame on them. However, when a truck driver causes your injuries, keep in mind that they are acting within the scope of their employment. Because of this, the fault for your accident may not fall on them alone, even if they were driving drowsy, distracted, or even drunk.

The fault, instead typically lies with the truck company. When a company hires someone, they are expected to complete appropriate background checks and training. If the truck company fails to take these steps, they may be liable for damage caused by their negligent hiring practices.

Manufacturer Liability

In other cases, the truck driver may not have lost control because of their own actions — they may have instead had failed brakes, locked steering, or other mechanical issues that led to their loss of control of their vehicle. When these issues cause accidents, the manufacturer may be at fault, as they failed to ensure their products were safe for general use.

Government Agency

When a truck accident is caused by dangerous road hazards that should have been repaired in the past, you may have grounds for a lawsuit against the Department of Transportation. They are responsible for ensuring roadways are safe, but your accident may have been caused by a vehicle out of control because of potholes and other defects. When this happens, you may have a shorter time period under Indiana Code 34-13-3, so reach out to us for help building your claim against a government agency.

You May Have Insurance Coverage Options for Truck Accidents

When you are injured in a Greenwood truck accident, you should, in theory, be able to rely on insurance coverage from the truck company. Indiana is a fault state, meaning that the party responsible for the accident is also financially responsible for your recovery. Typically, this means you can file an insurance claim with their insurer.

Unfortunately, the truck company may try to protect its lower premiums, and the insurance company may try to prioritize its profits. That means one or both parties may try to reduce the value of your settlement offer or deny your compensation entirely. For those without the crucial support needed following a truck accident, that can lead to settling for far less than what their claim is worth.

If you are struggling to get insurance coverage for your truck accident, you may need your truck accident lawyer in Greenwood, IN, to step in. We offer tools and resources that can help us gather key evidence for your case. We are also willing to negotiate with the insurance companies and pursue compensation in court if they refuse to offer a fair settlement.

Compensation for Truck Accident Victims Can Help You Recover

Following a truck accident, it can take significant compensation to make up for the damage done by the event. In fact, many people who suffer from serious truck accidents find themselves settling for less than they need, struggling to pay for their expenses, and suffering out of pocket. If you are facing a claim, we can help you seek the following compensatory damages to help you recover.

Economic Damages

After a truck accident, you may have devastating injuries and serious financial losses that impact your recovery. These include medical expenses for your care, lost income if you cannot work, and property damage to your vehicle. When seeking these damages, keep in mind that many of these are ongoing, so we may need to estimate your future damages as well.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are intangible effects of the accident that should still be compensated. These include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life. However, because these damages are more complex to calculate and lack a set dollar value, you may need our help to establish the value of your claim.

Turn to Our Driven Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Greenwood

When a truck accident happens, you may feel overwhelmed by the severity of the accident. You may now be facing lifelong issues, or you may have lost a loved one to a truck accident. Fortunately, you do not have to handle your claim alone or settle for less with your truck accident attorney by your side.

At Stephenson Rife, we provide high-quality representation and aggressive defense of your rights as an injury victim. We offer free consultations so you can speak with a legal representative before you make any decisions about your lawsuit. To learn more about the guidance we can offer, reach out by calling (317) 680-2350 or filling out our online contact form.

Attorney Mike Stephenson

Attorney Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies. His current practice is dominated by civil litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses much of his time on handling catastrophic injuries caused by all types of accidents, including motor vehicle, trucking, workplace injuries, product liability, just to name a few. Mike is a proven advocate and trial attorney. He has served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 civil jury trials, and has handled litigation in 18 states. [ Attorney Bio ]