Chattanooga T-Bone Truck Accidents
Tractor-Trailer Wreck Attorneys Helping People Injured in Chattanooga
The average weight of a new four-door car is approximately 4,000 pounds. On the other hand, commercial trucks tend to weigh anywhere from 10,000 pounds to upwards of 80,000 pounds. Due to the weight of commercial trucks, they require more space and time to come to a complete stop than standard passenger vehicles. If a truck driver is not paying attention to the road and his surroundings, he could find himself in a position where he is unable to come to a complete stop in time and subsequently T-bone another vehicle. If you or a loved one has been injured in a T-bone truck accident, the Chattanooga truck accident lawyers of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz may be able to help you assert a claim in order to recover damages for your losses and injuries. With over 30 experienced attorneys and more than 120 dedicated staff members, we are the largest plaintiff’s personal injury law firm based in Tennessee.
Proving Liability After a T-Bone Truck Accident
Being T-boned by a commercial truck can be catastrophic. Your body could jerk from side to side, causing whiplash or chest injuries due to striking the steering wheel or the car door. You could be spun around or pushed into a car in front or to the side of you, leading to a chain reaction. In an effort to avoid such catastrophes, truck drivers have an obligation to drive safely and in accordance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and state laws. Unfortunately, some truckers drive for extended periods of time, so driver fatigue can play a big role in not being able to properly react to oncoming cars, traffic lights, or stop signs. Other factors that can contribute to a T-bone crash include speeding, driving while intoxicated, distracted driving, and more. For example, you could be T-boned while crossing the intersection of Shallowford Road and Gunbarrel Road by a truck driver who, after being on duty for 15 consecutive hours, is too tired to safely operate the vehicle.
Often, victims of T-bone collisions involving a truck sustain serious injuries, and those injuries can quickly lead to hefty monetary losses in the forms of medical bills and lost wages. To recover economic and non-economic damages from a truck driver for your injuries and losses, you must prove the truck driver’s negligence by showing that the truck driver owed you a duty of reasonable care, breached said duty, and caused you to suffer injuries. An experienced attorney in trucking litigation in Chattanooga not only can help you establish the truck driver’s negligence, but a lawyer may also be able to hold the trucking company liable as well.
The truck driver’s employer can be held directly liable if the trucking company is proven to have committed negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent training, or another act of negligence. The truck driver’s employer may also be liable for the conduct of the truck driver. For example, if the truck driver’s negligence occurred within the course and scope of his or her employment, the trucking company may be held vicariously liable. A trucking accident attorney representing your legal interests will also increase your chances of preserving vital evidence that some trucking companies try to hide or destroy, e.g. a truck’s “black box,” GPS data, and records kept in the ordinary course of business. Sending a spoliation of evidence letter can help accomplish this goal.
Consult a Skilled Semi-Truck Collision Lawyer in the Chattanooga Area About Your Case
At Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, we know what T-bone truck accidents can do to people. Our firm has seen countless victims of trucking accidents suffer excruciating injuries and accumulate large amounts of debt due to medical bills and lost wages. Truck crashes can also cause intangible losses like pain and suffering, meaning the victim may be unable to participate in hobbies like singing in a choir, playing a musical instrument, performing yard work, or playing sports. Our firm represents victims in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo, Columbus, Grenada, Starkville, Oxford, Hayti, Caruthersville, and throughout other communities in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Kentucky. Contact our office by calling us toll-free at 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to schedule a free appointment. For people seeking a trucking accident lawyer, NST is the way to go.