In our experience as trucking accident lawyers, it is rare for occupants of a passenger vehicle to walk away from an accident with a large tractor-trailer completely unscathed. Truck accident victims often suffer serious and sometimes fatal injuries. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident in Gastonia, the trucking company may owe you a significant amount of money when they were at fault.
Our truck accident lawyers at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys are here to stand up for your legal rights when you need us. Contact us to start your case.
Causes of Gastonia Truck Accidents
The suburban Charlotte area has some of the heaviest truck traffic in the country, with cargo making its way to and from the southeast.
Gaston County has a disproportionate number of truck accidents each year. I-85 runs right through the heart of Gaston County, carrying truck traffic to and from the southeast. In addition, both I-77 and I-40 pass near the Gastonia area. There are frequent serious truck accidents in the Gaston County area, some of which may shut down I-85 entirely.
The proximity to so many major interstates makes the Gastonia area an even more dangerous place to drive.
Common causes of truck accidents in Gaston County include:
- Inexperience
- Fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Failure to check blind spots when turning or changing lanes
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Rollovers
- Defective truck parts
The common theme between these causes is that you can win a case when you can prove that the truck driver and the trucking company were negligent. You need a truck accident lawyer who can perform a complete and immediate investigation of the accident, gathering and preserving the evidence that you need to prove legal responsibility for your injuries.
Why Trucking Accidents Can Be More Serious
There’s no such thing as any motor vehicle accident that is not serious. However, trucking accidents carry an extra degree of severity. On average, a fully loaded tractor-trailer will weigh 27 times more than a passenger vehicle. The amount of force that is transferred in this type of accident is tremendous. The size disparity alone means that the passenger car occupants could suffer serious injuries.
Your truck accident damages reflect the extent and scope of your injuries. Each plaintiff is paid based on how they have suffered in the aftermath of the truck accident. Another factor that can magnify the amount of your settlement or award is that the trucking company usually has more insurance than the average passenger car driver.
Federal trucking regulations require that trucking companies have at least $750,000 in insurance coverage. The reality is that many trucking companies carry far more Insurance than this. If they do not have enough insurance to pay for your injuries, you can go after their assets.
What Compensation Can You Seek After a Truck Accident in Gastonia?
Your truck accident settlement may include the following:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Embarrassment and humiliation
- Loss of consortium damages for a spouse
If your loved one died in a trucking accident, your family could file a wrongful death lawsuit to recoup the losses that you suffered from the passing of a close family member.
Further, there is always a chance that you could persuade the jury to award you punitive damages when the trucking company was extremely careless or reckless. Never underestimate the capacity of a jury to become emotional and angry when they see an uncaring truck company who put their profits over your well-being.
With so much money on the line, both the trucking and insurance companies will show up to fight. The trucking company may realize that their entire existence is at risk should a verdict come down. Still, you need a lawyer who is up to the task of fighting when the trucking company will defend your claim with everything they have.
Why Choose Our Truck Accident Lawyers to Handle Your Case?
When you are taking on the insurance company, you need an attorney who knows how they operate. Our lawyers have worked for insurance companies in the past, so we know the tricks that they can use to try to minimize how much they pay you.
We also have significant experience in the courtroom. Our truck accident attorneys are unafraid to leverage the threat of litigation in settlement negotiations. If we need to take your case to court, we are tough attorneys who will fight for you.
Our lawyers take customer service seriously, knowing that you are going through a difficult time and need your attorney to make your life easier. Our hundreds of five-star reviews speak for themselves.
Contact a Gastonia Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys are standing by and ready to go to work for you as soon as you hire us. The first step in the legal process is reaching out to our attorneys to schedule a free initial consultation, where we will discuss your case and explain your path forward.
To schedule a time to speak with a lawyer, you can send us a message online, or you can call us today at 910-405-7751. You pay nothing to have our experience on your side, and we are only paid if we win.
