We all share Mississippi’s highways with big rigs, tractor-trailers, interstate trucks, eighteen-wheelers—they go by many different names, but we all know how it feels when one of these monsters rumbles by you.
If you or a loved one was injured as a result of an accident with an eighteen-wheeler, one thing is critical to know—you will need to have experienced counsel help you attain your fair share of compensation for your loss of income and injury. Barrett Law has the experience to help you if you have been injured. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
An Overview of Trucking Accidents
There are over 500,000 eighteen-wheeler accidents each year in the United States. Sadly, because of these vehicles’ tremendous mass, their accidents trend toward catastrophic, especially when the accident involves a passenger vehicle. Even the largest passenger car does not stand a chance when it is hit by an eighteen-wheeler, regardless of speed or the weight of the load in question.
Who Do Sue in a Trucking Accident Case?
One of the significant issues that separates a trucking case from a typical automobile accident case is the complexity involving the number of possible defendants. In a negligence case, it is essential to sue everyone who bears some responsibility for your injuries, and if you fail to include a party, the other named parties may evade or partially evade responsibility by claiming that the unnamed party was actually at fault. In a car accident, you usually just have to name the other driver in your suit. However, in a trucking accident case, you will often want to sue the driver, the trucking company that hired the driver, the company that maintains the truck, and even the truck’s manufacturer. Each of these parties will then have their own attorney. Accordingly, you will need representation of an attorney that has an office set up to take on a substantial opponent.
Why Covers My Medical Costs and Loss of Wages While the Case Progresses?
Usually, your insurer will cover your medical costs and loss of wages when you are injured in an automobile accident. However, that is not the case if you are involved in a collision with an eighteen-wheeler or any large vehicle over 6,500 lbs. In these cases, your insurer will usually seek compensation directly from the trucking company for payment while the case is pending.
What Sort of Insurance Coverage to Trucking Companies Carry?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires truckers to carry much more insurance than they would usually be needed to carry in Mississippi, depending upon the type of cargo they carry. For example, an eighteen-wheeler carrying soccer balls is only mandated to have $750,000 in insurance. Compare that to a truck carrying a load of hazardous petrochemicals—it has to possess somewhere between $1 and $5 million in coverage, depending on the nature of the dangerous substance.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured in a Trucking Accident?
If you or a loved one was injured or killed as a result of a trucking accident, you are due compensation for your injuries, property damage, emotional trauma, and loss of work. Let experienced counsel take care of preserving medical records, attaining expert diagnoses, and dealing with the trucking company’s attorneys. These are essential tasks that a personal injury attorney can handle for you and that you cannot handle alone.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered a trucking related injury. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.