Jackson, TN Pedestrians and Cyclists Hit by Trucks
Commercial trucks weigh tens of thousands of pounds and usually tower over standard passenger vehicles. Collisions between large trucks and cars usually end in the cars’ occupants sustaining severe injuries. If that can happen to someone inside of a vehicle that gets hit by a truck, what can happen to pedestrians and cyclists hit by trucks? They can sustain broken bones, head trauma, punctured organs, lacerations, spinal cord injuries, and more. Many of their injuries can even be life-threatening. If you have been hit by a truck while walking or cycling and sustained injuries, the Jackson truck accident lawyers of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz may be able to help you recover damages from the truck driver. With over 30 attorneys and more than 120 support staff members, we are the largest Tennessee-base personal injury law firm. For over 30 years, our firm has been fighting for trucking collision victims across Tennessee and beyond.
Pedestrians and Cyclists Hit by Trucks
When seeking economic and non-economic damages for a trucking collision in Tennessee, you will likely have to establish the truck driver’s negligence by proving that your injuries were caused due to the truck driver breaching a duty of reasonable care that he owed you. Many of these trucking crashes occur due to speeding. Sometimes speeding is not the sole factor, but rather coupled with another form of negligence, e.g. intoxicated driving or driving while fatigued. Retaining a truck accident attorney in the Jackson, Tennessee, area can help you procure vital evidence, such as a truck’s “black box,” before such data is erased or lost.
Not only can you possibly hold the truck driver liable, but you may also be able to hold the trucking company liable. A trucking company may be held vicariously liable if their employee’s negligence took place within the course and scope of employment. If a trucking company has committed negligent hiring, negligent training, or negligent supervision, the trucking company can possibly be held directly liable for its acts. While there are many theories of liability that can be used in order to prove liability, there are also ways in which the defense can deflect and even redistribute liability, i.e. allegations of comparative fault.
Luckily, a lawyer can defend you against accusations of comparative fault by identifying evidence supporting the defendant’s negligence, but if a judge or jury agrees with the allegations made by the defense, you could see your recovery diminished by the percentage of fault attributed to you. Since the State of Tennessee uses the doctrine of modified comparative negligence, your recovery can be reduced up to 49%, which would leave you with 51% of your damages award. However, if your blame exceeds 49%, you may be barred from your recovery altogether, even if you were injured and sought medical treatment.
Discuss Your Case with NST Today
The lives of pedestrians and cyclists can be shattered in an instant by truck drivers that are not paying attention. The personal injury attorneys of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz assist pedestrians and cyclists hit by trucks in Jackson and in other communities throughout Tennessee. Contact our office by calling us toll-free at 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to schedule a free consultation with our firm. After speaking with us, it will be clear why NST is the way to go if you need a trucking accident attorney in Jackson.
