Lake Charles Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Attorney in Lake Charles, LA

The trucking industry is a vital component of commerce, both within the state and in Lake Charles. The east to west moving I-10 and I-20 see high volumes of commercial transport traffic, and I-10 cuts right through Lake Charles. When a truck accident happens, it can cause immense personal and financial losses. It is important to work with a Lake Charles truck accident lawyer after an accident to protect your interests against commercial insurance companies.

An injury in a truck accident can change your entire future. At FHD Law, we know how overwhelming this can be. Our attorneys provide you with compassionate support, helping you understand how to recover your losses. This includes the cost of your medical bills, the income you lost, pain and suffering, and the long-term effects your injury has on your career.

We have decades of experience and can help you gain clarity on your case. Our firm fights against insurance adjusters taking advantage of those in Lake Charles. We assess your losses and help you obtain the compensation and justice you are entitled to.

How Frequently Do Truck Accidents Happen in Lake Charles?

There are more than 17,000 jobs in truck transportation in Louisiana, and roadway transport is one of the primary methods of moving cargo throughout the state. These trucks and their operators provide an essential service to residents and the economy. If you or someone you know has been involved in a truck accident, consulting a Lake Charles Personal Injury Lawyer can help protect your rights and guide you through the legal process.

Unfortunately, the high volume of this transport also leads to an increased risk of accidents. While commercial vehicle accidents don’t happen as frequently as other crashes, they are often much more devastating when they do happen. The size and weight of commercial vehicles, such as eighteen-wheelers, cause significantly more damage.

There were 107 commercial trucks involved in 98 accidents in Calcasieu Parish in 2024, and five of these crashes were sadly fatal accidents. These crashes can result in fatal and catastrophic injuries that leave individuals and families with substantial costs. Knowing how to recover these damages can be essential after an accident.

What Are Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents?

Most accidents are caused by driver negligence. Of the commercial vehicle fatal accidents that happened in Louisiana in 2023, commercial truck drivers were responsible for an act of negligence 32.8% of the time, while a non-commercial driver in the accident was responsible through negligence 67.2% of the time. There can be many reasons for driver negligence and violations in truck accidents, including:

• Distracted driving
• Driving while fatigued
• Aggressive driving
• Moving violations
• Failing to check blind spots
• Inexperienced drivers or drivers with insufficient training
• Speeding and other forms of reckless driving
• Failing to follow rest and break regulations
• Driving while impaired

In some of these cases, a truck driver’s error is actually the fault of their employer or the trucking company.

For example, when a driver is insufficiently trained and this leads to them making an error and causing an accident, their employer is likely liable for failing to provide that training or failing to ensure the driver had the necessary abilities. A driver could be speeding to meet unrealistic deadlines imposed by the trucking or shopping company. It’s essential to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Other Causes

In some cases, driver negligence does not cause the accident. Some other causes of truck accidents include:

• An overloaded or improperly loaded truck cab
• Defective car components
• Vehicles that are not inspected for safety
• Poor maintenance or lack of maintenance on a truck
• Unsafe roads, road design, or conditions on the road

When you hire a truck accident lawyer, they can investigate to uncover the cause of the crash. By determining the cause, this helps point towards the at-fault party. This may be the truck driver, their employer, another driver on the road, a trucking company, a mechanic, or another party. Once the at-fault party or parties are identified, you will have a stronger case to pursue compensation through.

How Can an Attorney Help With My Truck Accident Claim?

When you work with a truck accident attorney, you are more likely to have a successful claim, either in negotiations or in a trial. An attorney also increases the chances of recovering the most compensation possible. When you work with a dedicated attorney, they can help by:

• Investigating the accident and its cause
• Uncovering evidence of fault
• Informing you of your rights
• Walking you through the option for financial recovery
• Assessing the full value of your damages
• Using resources such as professionals in fields like accident reconstruction and healthcare
• Negotiating with the commercial insurance company and other insurers
• Fighting for the compensation you are owed
• Taking the case to trial and representing you if needed

The team at FHD Law begins with listening to you and your story. We take the time to understand the facts of the case from you, your experience, and the impact your injuries have had on you and your future. All of this information is crucial to crafting an effective and successful claim for damages. Our team works to ensure nothing is overlooked when building your case and fighting for the most successful outcome.

The Difficulties of Truck Accidents

After a truck accident, not any auto accident attorney will be able to help. Truck accidents are complex in numerous ways that are not present in the average car crash, so it is crucial that your legal support has the relevant experience. Some of the reasons why these accidents are so complicated include:

• Substantial damages. Truck accidents, on average, cause much more serious accidents. This increases the severity of injuries and other damages. Compensation must be much more substantial to recover these losses. Unfortunately, securing this settlement can be very hard.

• Commercial insurers. Commercial trucking companies are typically insured by commercial insurance providers. These insurance policies have greater coverage limits than personal auto insurance, but dealing with the insurer is much harder. These insurers have many more resources at their disposal. They use this to fight against your claim and try to avoid paying you full compensation.

• Federal regulations. Laws govern many aspects of the commercial truck industry. This includes limiting the hours a driver can operate their vehicle, determining what is acceptable cargo, and establishing cargo weight limits, as well as requiring regular inspections and maintenance, and ensuring mandatory drug testing for drivers.

There are many complex requirements, and not everyone knows how to identify potential violations of these laws.

• Complex evidence. This is also connected to the federal regulations. Due to the significant regulations, trucking companies have extensive documentation regarding their drivers, trucks, and operations. In addition to the typical evidence in an accident like accident reports and crash footage, these cases involve driver’s logs, maintenance logs, black box information, GPS and computer records, and many other types of evidence.

• Liable parties. There are many parties who may bear some liability for a truck accident. The truck driver may be liable, which could make their company or employer vicariously liable. In other cases, the employer or company is directly liable for their negligence.

Other companies that work with the tucking company may also have responsibility, such as shipping or loading companies, maintenance and repair companies, inspection companies, and others.

FAQs

How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

Every truck accident settlement is different, although they tend to have higher value than other vehicle accidents. This occurs because of the catastrophic injuries and other severe damages caused by these collisions. Your settlement’s value will rely on factors like how seriously you were hurt, the long-term damage of your injury, whether you were partially at fault, and how much evidence supports the fault of another party.

What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need to File Against a Trucking Company?

To file a claim against a trucking company, you need a skilled truck accident personal injury attorney. This is an attorney who understands the complexities of commercial truck accidents and can talk with the insurer on your behalf. If a reasonable settlement can’t be secured in negotiations, this attorney will be able to take your case to court.

It is often difficult to get fair compensation from a commercial trucking company, but an attorney may improve your chances of success.

How Do You Find the Right Truck Accident Attorney?

To find the right truck accident attorney, you want to consider their experience and abilities. Review their licensure and years of experience for basic qualifications, and then examine their past cases and successes in more detail. Reviews and testimonials from past clients can help you understand an attorney’s reputation and professionalism. Before settling on an attorney, have a consultation with them to determine if you feel comfortable with them.

How Hard Is It to Win a Truck Accident Claim?

It may be difficult or easy to win a truck accident claim, depending on the facts of your case. You likely need evidence of the following:

1. The driver or the trucking company breached the duty of care they owed you
2. This breach led directly to the accident
3. You were injured in the accident and sustained recognized damages

This is how negligence is proven. You may have an easier time winning a claim with a skilled attorney.

Involved in a Truck Accident? Work With Diligent and Compassionate Attorneys in Lake Charles

A truck accident is an exceptionally traumatic experience for individuals and their families. You shouldn’t go through this alone. Get in contact with Fitz-Gerald, Hebert & Associates LLC today and let us help protect your rights and fight for the financial support you deserve.